Oxidative and local histopathological response on skin wound of horses due to Amblyomma sculptum tick parasitism.

The research investigates the effect of Amblyomma sculptum tick on horses, particularly on skin wound, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The study compares the response of two different horse breeds to tick infestation and suggests that the tick’s presence affects the horses’ inflammatory and oxidative responses.

Objective of the Study

• The research aimed to examine the influence of A. sculptum tick parasitism on horses, focusing on the correlation between tick presence and oxidative stress levels and inflammation in two horse breeds, Mangalarga Marchador and Breton Postier.

Methodology

• Female horses from both mentioned breeds were naturally infested with A. sculptum.
• The number of ticks was counted, and full-thickness skin wounds were made on the tick attachment site.
• These wounds were then analysed histologically and biochemically to study the histopathological changes and oxidative stress responses in horses.

Key Findings

• Inflammatory response and increased cellularity, as well as changes to the fibrous components of the cell matrix, were observed at the tick attachment sites.
• There was a negative correlation between tick infestation and inflammatory response. In simple terms, horses with a stronger inflammatory response demonstrated lower tick infestation rates.
• Among the assessed oxidative stress markers, there was not much variation for MDA, PCN and NO. However, antioxidant enzyme SOD levels were higher in the skin of Breton Postier horses. This suggests these animals had higher oxidative enzymatic activity and consequent lesser tissue damage.
• On the other hand, the levels of another antioxidant enzyme, GST, was lower at tick attachment sites, indicating possible significant oxidative stress, or the potential of enzymatic sequestration by ticks.

Conclusion and Suggested Future Studies

• No notable resistance differences were observed between the breeds. The research concluded that the tick attachment rather than the breed affected most of the variations in the study.
• The study emphasized the importance of further research into animal antioxidant responses to tick infestation and the impact of tick saliva on antioxidant enzymes and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). These factors, according to the study, greatly influence the inflammatory response.