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Parasitology research2014; 113(11); 4163-4164; doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-4088-1

Prevalence of patent Strongyloides westeri infections in Thoroughbred foals in 2014.

Abstract: The prevalence of patent Strongyloides westeri infections was determined by examination for eggs in fecal samples collected from 513 Thoroughbred (TB) foals between February 25 and June 3, 2014. The study was conducted with 244 colts and 269 fillies from 11 well-managed farms in Central Kentucky. Foals ranged from 17 to 117 days of age and had never been dewormed. The mean prevalence of patent S. westeri infection was 30% (156/513 foals). This prevalence was substantially greater than historical reports from the same sampling area during the late 1990s and early 2000s. It is hypothesized that this change is attributable to diminished use of ivermectin in foals due to concerns about macrocyclic lactone resistance in Parascaris equorum.
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Publication Date: 2014-08-23 PubMed ID: 25149063DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4088-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research describes a study that looked into the prevalence of Strongyloides westeri infections (intestinal worms) in Thoroughbred foals in Kentucky. The findings reveal that there was a considerably higher infection rate in 2014 than previous years, possibly due to less use of a particular antiparasitic treatment.

Research Objectives

The aim of this research was to assess the prevalence of Strongyloides westeri (an intestinal worm) infections in Thoroughbred foals (young horses) within a specific time frame in 2014. The research was interested in understanding changes in the rates of infection compared to previous periods.

  • The assessment was carried out by determining the presence of eggs in fecal samples from 513 foals that had never been dewormed.
  • The foals included in the study were between 17 to 117 days old.

Research Findings

The research found that:

  • The average infection rate was approximately 30%, indicating that roughly 1 in every 3 young horses was infected.
  • This infection rate was significantly greater than the rates reported in the late 1990s and early 2000s in the same sampling area.

Potential Causes of Increased Infection Rates

From the findings, the researchers hypothesize that the change in infection rates is probably due to a decrease in the use of ivermectin (an anti-parasitic medication) among the foals.

  • The reduction in the use of ivermectin could be attributed to increased concerns about resistance to macrocyclic lactone (a category of anti-parasitic drugs that includes ivermectin) in Parascaris equorum, a type of parasitic roundworm.

Significance of the Research

This research is crucial as it:

  • Demonstrates an upward trend in the rate of S. westeri infections in Thoroughbred foals.
  • Indicates a possible link between decreased use of a specific anti-parasitic treatment and the increase in infections.
  • Highlights the need for further investigation into current deworming practices and their impact on the health of horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Lyons ET, Tolliver SC. (2014). Prevalence of patent Strongyloides westeri infections in Thoroughbred foals in 2014. Parasitol Res, 113(11), 4163-4164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4088-1

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 1432-1955
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 113
Issue: 11
Pages: 4163-4164

Researcher Affiliations

Lyons, E T
  • Department of Veterinary Science, Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546-0099, USA, elyons1@uky.edu.
Tolliver, S C

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Feces / parasitology
    • Female
    • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
    • Horse Diseases / parasitology
    • Horses / parasitology
    • Ivermectin / therapeutic use
    • Kentucky / epidemiology
    • Male
    • Parasite Egg Count
    • Prevalence
    • Strongyloides
    • Strongyloidiasis / epidemiology
    • Strongyloidiasis / veterinary

    References

    This article includes 6 references
    1. Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC. On the life cycle of Strongyloides westeri in the equine.. J Parasitol 1973 Oct;59(5):780-7.
      pubmed: 4744516
    2. Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Collins SS. Field studies on endoparasites of Thoroughbred foals on seven farms in central Kentucky in 2004.. Parasitol Res 2006 Apr;98(5):496-500.
      pubmed: 16385405doi: 10.1007/s00436-005-0091-xgoogle scholar: lookup
    3. Ludwig KG, Craig TM, Bowen JM, Ansari MM, Ley WB. Efficacy of ivermectin in controlling Strongyloides westeri infections in foals.. Am J Vet Res 1983 Feb;44(2):314-6.
      pubmed: 6687517
    4. Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC. Natural infection with Eimeria leuckarti: prevalence of oocysts in feces of horse foals on several farms in Kentucky during 1986.. Am J Vet Res 1988 Jan;49(1):96-8.
      pubmed: 3354972
    5. Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Drudge JH, Granstrom DE, Collins SS. Natural infections of Strongyloides westeri: prevalence in horse foals on several farms in central Kentucky in 1992.. Vet Parasitol 1993 Oct;50(1-2):101-7.
      pubmed: 8291184doi: 10.1016/0304-4017(93)90010-kgoogle scholar: lookup
    6. Lyons ET, Tolliver SC. Prevalence of parasite eggs (Strongyloides westeri, Parascaris equorum, and strongyles) and oocysts (Emeria leuckarti) in the feces of Thoroughbred foals on 14 farms in central Kentucky in 2003.. Parasitol Res 2004 Mar;92(5):400-4.
      pubmed: 14760526doi: 10.1007/s00436-003-1068-2google scholar: lookup

    Citations

    This article has been cited 4 times.
    1. Abbas G, Ghafar A, Koehler AV, Bauquier J, Wilkes EJA, Jacobson C, Beasley A, Hurley J, Cudmore L, Carrigan P, Tennent-Brown B, El-Hage C, Nielsen MK, Gauci CG, Hughes KJ, Beveridge I, Jabbar A. Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals. Parasit Vectors 2021 Sep 3;14(1):444.
      doi: 10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1pubmed: 34479608google scholar: lookup
    2. Taulescu MA, Ionicã AM, Diugan E, Pavaloiu A, Cora R, Amorim I, Catoi C, Roccabianca P. First report of fatal systemic Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in two Lipizzaner horses from Romania: clinical, pathological, and molecular characterization. Parasitol Res 2016 Mar;115(3):1097-103.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-015-4839-7pubmed: 26631187google scholar: lookup
    3. Abbas G, Nielsen MK, E-Hage C, Ghafar A, Beveridge I, Bauquier J, Beasley A, Wilkes EJA, Carrigan P, Cudmore L, Jacobson C, Hughes KJ, Jabbar A. Recent advances in intestinal helminth parasites of horses in the Asia-Pacific region: Current trends, challenges and future directions. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2025 Dec;29:100622.
      doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2025.100622pubmed: 41135277google scholar: lookup
    4. Elghryani N, McAloon C, Mincher C, McOwan T, de Waal T. Comparison of the Automated OvaCyte Telenostic Faecal Analyser versus the McMaster and Mini-FLOTAC Techniques in the Estimation of Helminth Faecal Egg Counts in Equine. Animals (Basel) 2023 Dec 16;13(24).
      doi: 10.3390/ani13243874pubmed: 38136911google scholar: lookup
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