Reviving a tradition: The Development of Strongylus vulgaris in larval culture.
Abstract: All horses are susceptible to the equine gastrointestinal parasite, Strongylus vulgaris, which is known to cause significant disease and death. The parasite undergoes development from the egg through the first (L1), second (L2) and third (L3) larval stages outside the horse. The L3 is the infective stage. The universally available technique for detection of S. vulgaris larvae is the larval culture method. This requires a 10-14 day culture period to induce development from egg to L3, followed by Baermannization and identification of the L3s to genus and/or species. It is unknown if the culture duration is necessary or ideal for S. vulgaris identification. The purpose of this study was to perform daily examinations of known S. vulgaris positive fecal samples in coproculture. Fresh feces were collected from a horse known to be shedding S. vulgaris eggs. A total of 140 cultures were set up using 10 g of feces. Cultures remained at room temperature and moistened every other day. Every day, 10 samples were examined, and all larvae were identified to stage, genus/species, and enumerated. Throughout the study, L1, L2, and L3 stages were observed, and S. vulgaris, Strongylus edentatus, Triodontophorus spp., and cyathostomin L3s were identified. Third stage larvae were observed on Day 5, and the mean number of L3s significantly increased on Day 10 (P < .001), and declined thereafter. Strongylus vulgaris was first observed on Day 6 with a mean count of 4.1 (95 % CI: 1.1, 7.1) S. vulgaris larvae, accounting for 4.1 % (95 % CI:1.8, 7) of the total L3s observed. The number of S. vulgaris larvae was significantly higher on Day 10 with a mean of 156.8 (95 % CI: 120.7, 192.9) S. vulgaris larvae (P < .001), and the proportion was also significantly higher with S. vulgaris comprising 50 % (95 % CI: 45.9, 54.8) (P = .006) of the total larvae. However, after 10 days, the mean number of S. vulgaris larvae declined, as did the proportion of S. vulgaris larvae compared to the total number of larvae. Using the described methods, it is possible to identify S. vulgaris as early as 6 days, and the optimal period is 10 days to detect the maximum number of S. vulgaris.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-11-26 PubMed ID: 34839176DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109619Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research explores the lifecycle of Strongylus vulgaris, a common horse parasite, and investigates the optimal time period for identifying the parasite in fecal samples through larval culture. The study suggests that it’s possible to detect S. vulgaris as early as six days into the culture, and by the tenth day, the culture reaches its peak in terms of identifying the parasite effectively.
Background and Objectives of the Study
- The study seeks to further understand the lifecycle of the equine gastrointestinal parasite, Strongylus vulgaris, which often causes significant disease and mortality among horses.
- The research employs the larval culture method, an existing detection technique for the parasites, with the aim to uncover whether the typical culture duration is necessary or optimal for identifying S. vulgaris.
Research Methodology
- Fresh feces were collected from a horse known to be shedding S. vulgaris eggs. A total of 140 cultures were set up using 10 grams of these samples.
- The cultures were kept at room temperature and moistened every other day.
- Each day, 10 samples were inspected, and all larvae identified in terms of stage (L1, L2, L3), genus/species, and counted.
Research Findings
- Larvae at all three stages (L1, L2, L3), including S. vulgaris, as well as Strongylus edentatus, Triodontophorus spp., and cyathostomin L3s were observed in the samples.
- Third-stage larvae were first seen on the fifth day of culture, with a noticeable increase in their numbers by the tenth day, after which their count started declining.
- S. vulgaris was first detected on the sixth day with a mean of 4.1 S. vulgaris larvae (roughly 4.1% of total L3s observed).
- The count of S. vulgaris larvae was significantly higher on the tenth day, with an average count of 156.8, making up 50% of the total larvae.
- The proportion and the count of S. vulgaris larvae began to decline after the tenth day of larval culture.
Conclusion
- The study highlights that S. vulgaris larvae can be detected as early as the sixth day into the culture but using the described method, the tenth day proves to be the optimal day to detect the maximum number of S. vulgaris.
Cite This Article
APA
Scare Kenealy JA, Steuer AE.
(2021).
Reviving a tradition: The Development of Strongylus vulgaris in larval culture.
Vet Parasitol, 300, 109619.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109619 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Eastern Kentucky University, Department of Agriculture, 521 Lancaster Avenue, A.B. Carter Building, Richmond, KY, 40476, United States. Electronic address: jessica.kenealy@eku.edu.
- Texas Tech University, School of Veterinary Medicine, 7671 Evans Drive, Amarillo, TX, 79106, United States. Electronic address: ashley.steuer@ttu.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases
- Horses
- Larva
- Ovum
- Strongyle Infections, Equine
- Strongyloidea
- Strongylus
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