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Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasitol Res / Serum Strongylus vulgaris-specific antibody responses to ant...
Parasitology research2014; 114(2); 445-451; doi: 10.1007/s00436-014-4201-5

Serum Strongylus vulgaris-specific antibody responses to anthelmintic treatment in naturally infected horses.

Abstract: Strongylus vulgaris is the most pathogenic helminth parasite of horses, causing verminous endarteritis with thromboembolism and infarction. A serum enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been validated for detection of antibodies to an antigen produced by migrating larvae of this parasite. The aim was to evaluate ELISA responses to anthelmintic treatment in cohorts of naturally infected horses. Fifteen healthy horses harboring patent S. vulgaris infections were turned out for communal grazing in May 2013 (day 0). On day 55, horses were ranked according to ELISA titers and randomly allocated to the following three groups: no treatment followed by placebo pellets daily; ivermectin on day 60 followed by placebo pellets daily; or ivermectin on day 60 followed by daily pyrantel tartrate. Fecal and serum samples were collected at ∼28-day intervals until study termination on day 231. Increased ELISA values were observed for the first 53 days following ivermectin treatment. Titers were significantly reduced 80 days after ivermectin treatment. Horses receiving daily pyrantel tartrate maintained lower ELISA values from 137 days post ivermectin treatment until trial termination. These results illustrate that a positive ELISA result is indicative of either current or prior exposure to larval S. vulgaris infection within the previous 5 months.
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Publication Date: 2014-10-31 PubMed ID: 25358238DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-4201-5Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

This research sought to evaluate the antibody responses of horses, naturally infected with the most pathogenic helminth parasite, Strongylus vulgaris, to anthelmintic treatment. The study shows that horses receiving the antiparasitic drugs ivermectin and pyrantel tartrate demonstrated varying antibody responses over time, with ELISA values indicating exposure to the S. vulgaris infection.

Study Design and Procedures

  • The study began with 15 healthy horses, known to be hosting S. vulgaris infections, released for communal grazing in May 2013 (marked as day 0).
  • On the 55th day, horses were grouped based on their ELISA titers results and randomly assigned to one of three groups: the first received no treatment and had daily placebo pellets; the second received a dose of ivermectin on day 60, followed by placebo pellets daily; the third received a dose of ivermectin on day 60, followed by daily doses of pyrantel tartrate.
  • Throughout the study, fecal and serum samples were taken at approximately 28-day intervals until the study ended on day 231.

Findings and Observations

  • The study shows that ELISA values, which indicate the level of antibodies to a specific antigen produced by S. vulgaris larvae, increased initially for the first 53 days following ivermectin treatment.
  • There was a significant reduction in ELISA titers 80 days after ivermectin treatment, showing that the horses’ immune response had reduced.
  • Horses receiving daily doses of pyrantel tartrate after ivermectin maintained lower ELISA values from 137 days after the ivermectin treatment until the end of the study.

Interpretation of the Results

  • The research reveals that a positive ELISA result can indicate either current or prior exposure to larval S. vulgaris infection within the past five months.
  • The different trends in ELISA values post anthelmintic treatment show how the horses’ immune responses react differently depending on the type of antiparasitic drug given.

Cite This Article

APA
Nielsen MK, Vidyashankar AN, Bellaw J, Gravatte HS, Cao X, Rubinson EF, Reinemeyer CR. (2014). Serum Strongylus vulgaris-specific antibody responses to anthelmintic treatment in naturally infected horses. Parasitol Res, 114(2), 445-451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-014-4201-5

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 1432-1955
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 114
Issue: 2
Pages: 445-451

Researcher Affiliations

Nielsen, Martin K
  • M.H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA, martin.nielsen@uky.edu.
Vidyashankar, Anand N
    Bellaw, Jennifer
      Gravatte, Holli S
        Cao, Xin
          Rubinson, Emily F
            Reinemeyer, Craig R

              MeSH Terms

              • Animals
              • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
              • Antibodies, Helminth / blood
              • Cohort Studies
              • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
              • Feces / parasitology
              • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
              • Horse Diseases / immunology
              • Horse Diseases / parasitology
              • Horses
              • Ivermectin / therapeutic use
              • Larva
              • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
              • Random Allocation
              • Strongylida Infections / drug therapy
              • Strongylida Infections / immunology
              • Strongylida Infections / parasitology
              • Strongylida Infections / veterinary
              • Strongylus / drug effects
              • Strongylus / immunology

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              This article includes 15 references
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              Citations

              This article has been cited 4 times.
              1. Jürgenschellert L, Krücken J, Bousquet E, Bartz J, Heyer N, Nielsen MK, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Occurrence of Strongylid Nematode Parasites on Horse Farms in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany, With High Seroprevalence of Strongylus vulgaris Infection. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:892920.
                doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.892920pubmed: 35754549google scholar: lookup
              2. Steuer AE, Anderson HP, Shepherd T, Clark M, Scare JA, Gravatte HS, Nielsen MK. Parasite dynamics in untreated horses through one calendar year. Parasit Vectors 2022 Feb 8;15(1):50.
                doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05168-zpubmed: 35135605google scholar: lookup
              3. Hedberg-Alm Y, Penell J, Riihimäki M, Osterman-Lind E, Nielsen MK, Tydén E. Parasite Occurrence and Parasite Management in Swedish Horses Presenting with Gastrointestinal Disease-A Case-Control Study. Animals (Basel) 2020 Apr 7;10(4).
                doi: 10.3390/ani10040638pubmed: 32272754google scholar: lookup
              4. Nielsen MK, Scare J, Gravatte HS, Bellaw JL, Prado JC, Reinemeyer CR. Changes in Serum Strongylus Vulgaris-Specific Antibody Concentrations in Response to Anthelmintic Treatment of Experimentally Infected Foals. Front Vet Sci 2015;2:17.
                doi: 10.3389/fvets.2015.00017pubmed: 26664946google scholar: lookup
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