Prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp in equids in Louisiana.
Abstract: In 1985, 22 pony foals reared in a helminth-free environment were tested daily for oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp by use of fecal flotation. Oocysts were found in all foals. Oocysts were first observed in feces collected from foals 9 to 28 days after birth. The mean period of oocyst shedding was 10 days and ranged from 2 to 18 days in individual foals. Diarrhea was observed in 14 of 22 (64%) foals and began before the period of oocyst shedding. Fecal samples also were examined for other infective agents. Salmonella poona was isolated from 1 foal that did not have diarrhea, and coronavirus particles were observed in the feces of 2 foals with diarrhea. Cryptosporidium sp oocysts also were observed in feces of 2 of 17 Thoroughbred foals, 3 of 14 Quarter Horse foals, and 3 of 26 pony foals reared on pastures with their dams. Samples from pasture-reared foals were collected at irregular intervals. Of the 11 Cryptosporidium-positive fecal samples collected from pastured foals, 2 were from foals with diarrhea. A similar survey was conducted during the 1986 foaling season, using the same procedures. Examination of 300 samples from 58 Quarter Horse, Arabian, and pony foals did not detect oocysts. Daily examination of feces from 10 pony foals reared under helminth-free conditions for 30 days also failed to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts.
Publication Date: 1989-04-01 PubMed ID: 2712425
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigates the presence of Cryptosporidium sp, a parasite, in pony foals in Louisiana, revealing a high prevalence of the parasite in these animals, with it being found in all foals that were tested and associating its presence with diarrheal symptoms.
Objective and Methodology
- The research set out to study the prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp, a parasitic microorganism, in equids, particularly in pony foals, in Louisiana in 1985.
- The research involved 22 pony foals that were reared in a helminth-free environment, meaning they were not exposed to parasitic worms.
- The researchers tested the foals daily for the oocysts or cysts of Cryptosporidium by using fecal flotation, a process that involves examining the stools for parasites.
Findings
- The oocysts of the Cryptosporidium were found in all the foals tested. They were first seen in feces collected from the foals 9 to 28 days after their birth.
- The average period of shedding oocyst, or the period during which the parasite was found in the feces, was 10 days, with a range from 2 to 18 days for individual foals.
- Diarrhea was observed in 14 out of 22 foals, which began before the period of oocyst shedding, indicating a likely association with the presence of the parasite.
- The researchers also examined fecal samples for other infectious agents. One foal, which did not have diarrhea, was found to have Salmonella poona, and coronavirus particles were seen in the feces of two foals that had diarrheal symptoms.
- Cryptosporidium oocysts were also found in the feces of a few Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, and pony foals that were reared on pastures with their mothers. In this group, two foals with diarrhea were among those with Cryptosporidium-positive fecal samples.
Continued Research
- A similar survey was carried out during the 1986 foaling season following the same procedures.
- However, examination of 300 samples from 58 Quarter Horse, Arabian, and pony foals failed to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts.
- Also, daily examination of feces from 10 pony foals reared under helminth-free conditions for 30 days likewise failed to detect Cryptosporidium oocysts. This suggests a decrease in the prevalence of this parasite as compared to the previous study period in 1985.
Cite This Article
APA
Coleman SU, Klei TR, French DD, Chapman MR, Corstvet RE.
(1989).
Prevalence of Cryptosporidium sp in equids in Louisiana.
Am J Vet Res, 50(4), 575-577.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Coccidia / isolation & purification
- Cryptosporidiosis / epidemiology
- Cryptosporidiosis / parasitology
- Cryptosporidium / isolation & purification
- Diarrhea / epidemiology
- Diarrhea / veterinary
- Feces / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Louisiana
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Elsheikh HA, Abdel-Ghany EM, Ras R. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a working horse population in Egypt. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023 Oct 18;55(6):361.
- Wang Y, Li X, Chen X, Kulyar MF, Duan K, Li H, Bhutta ZA, Wu Y, Li K. Gut Fungal Microbiome Responses to Natural Cryptosporidium Infection in Horses. Front Microbiol 2022;13:877280.
- Harris R, Sankar K, Small JA, Suepaul R, Stewart-Johnson A, Adesiyun A. Prevalence and characteristics of enteric pathogens detected in diarrhoeic and non-diarrhoeic foals in trinidad. Vet Med Int 2012;2012:724959.
- Majewska AC, Solarczyk P, Tamang L, Graczyk TK. Equine Cryptosporidium parvum infections in western Poland. Parasitol Res 2004 Jul;93(4):274-8.
- Taylor MA, Webster KA. Recent advances in the diagnosis in livestock of Cryptosporidium, Toxoplasma, Giardia and other protozoa of veterinary importance. Res Vet Sci 1998 Nov-Dec;65(3):183-93.
- Graczyk TK, Cranfield MR, Fayer R, Trout J, Goodale HJ. Infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts is retained upon intestinal passage through a migratory water-fowl species (Canada goose, Branta canadensis). Trop Med Int Health 1997 Apr;2(4):341-7.
- Granstrom DE. Recent advances in the laboratory diagnosis of equine parasitic diseases. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1995 Dec;11(3):437-42.
- Netherwood T, Wood JL, Townsend HG, Mumford JA, Chanter N. Foal diarrhoea between 1991 and 1994 in the United Kingdom associated with Clostridium perfringens, rotavirus, Strongyloides westeri and Cryptosporidium spp. Epidemiol Infect 1996 Oct;117(2):375-83.
- Graczyk TK, Cranfield MR, Fayer R, Anderson MS. Viability and infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts are retained upon intestinal passage through a refractory avian host. Appl Environ Microbiol 1996 Sep;62(9):3234-7.
- Dwyer RM. Rotaviral diarrhea. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1993 Aug;9(2):311-9.
- Xiao L, Herd RP. Review of equine Cryptosporidium infection. Equine Vet J 1994 Jan;26(1):9-13.
- Mead JR, Humphreys RC, Sammons DW, Sterling CR. Identification of isolate-specific sporozoite proteins of Cryptosporidium parvum by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Infect Immun 1990 Jul;58(7):2071-5.
- Browning GF, Chalmers RM, Snodgrass DR, Batt RM, Hart CA, Ormarod SE, Leadon D, Stoneham SJ, Rossdale PD. The prevalence of enteric pathogens in diarrhoeic thoroughbred foals in Britain and Ireland. Equine Vet J 1991 Nov;23(6):405-9.
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