[Quantitative prevalence of Anoplocephala sp. and egg shedding consistency in horses].

This research study aims to determine the prevalence of Anoplocephala sp., a type of parasitic worm, in thoroughbred horses from São José dos Pinhais, PR using a modified centrifugal-flotation technique. The researchers found that the worm was more common in mares and older foals, and that the amount of worm eggs shed in the feces remained consistent over time.

Methodology

• The researchers used a modified centrifugal-flotation technique to track the prevalence of Anoplocephala sp. in the horse population. This technique is commonly used in parasitology to isolate and identify the eggs of parasites in fecal samples.
• They conducted the study on a sample of 28 one-year-old horses, 25 two-year-old horses, and 28 mares.
• They collected and processed fecal samples from these animals between January 31st and June 15th, 2007 to measure the amount of Anoplocephala sp. eggs present per gram (EPG).
• The egg counts were done at 28-day intervals to evaluate the consistency of egg shedding.

Results

• The results showed a difference in EPG between mares and foals, with mares producing less eggs than foals, suggesting that younger horses may have a higher infestation of Anoplocephala sp. (P = 0.04).
• The prevalence of this worm was found to be 50% in mares, 18% in one-year-old horses, and 40% in two-year-old horses.
• When it came to the consistency of egg shedding over time, the one-year-old and two-year-old horses showed repeatability values above 70%, while mares showed values higher than 40%. These high values indicate good consistency, meaning egg counts could be a reliable way to monitor Anoplocephala sp. infestations.

Implications

• These findings suggest that Anoplocephala sp. infestations are quite common in this horse population. They also suggest that younger horses are more susceptible to the parasite than adult mares.
• The high repeatability values for egg shedding suggest that monitoring the fecal egg counts could be a reliable method to track the level of infestations in horses.
• This means that horse breeders in São José dos Pinhais, PR could use this method to help control Anoplocephala sp. infestations in their horse populations.