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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / Spatial niche competition among helminth parasites in horse&...
Veterinary parasitology2010; 170(1-2); 88-95; doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.01.031

Spatial niche competition among helminth parasites in horse’s large intestine.

Abstract: The spatial distribution of large intestinal helminth parasites of 50 horses was studied. Both adult and mucosal larval stages were examined and counted within the ventral colon, dorsal colon and caecum. Thirty-three species of adult parasites were identified and their distribution in the three large intestinal regions reported, together with the localization of cyathostome encysted larvae and of empty mucosal cysts. In order to highlight interspecific interactions, both Spearman pairwise correlation (among all parasites) and multivariable negative binomial regression (among the most abundant parasites) were performed. Interactions among parasite species are very important from the ecological and parasitological point of view as they can modulate the abundance and the spatial distribution of parasites, as well as the composition of the infracommunity. The main results were: the selection of preferred sites of horse's large intestinal helminths has been confirmed; all statistically significant pairwise correlation coefficients (359 out of 666) were positive; the build up of multivariable regression models brought to light both negative and positive interactions; the most interesting competitive interactions have been observed between the most abundant and relatively large strongyle species: Strongylus edentatus and Strongylus vulgaris in the caecum and ventral colon. When S. edentatus is in the caecum, the favourite site of S. vulgaris, the latter decreases especially in the caecum. On the other hand, when S. edentatus is in the ventral colon, its favourite site, there is no negative relationship with S. vulgaris in the ventral colon and the positive correlation observed with bivariate analysis is maintained. The common belief that the horse large intestinal parasite community is isolationist, due to the absence of negative pairwise interaction, is therefore contradicted by the present study.
(c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Publication Date: 2010-01-28 PubMed ID: 20153115DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.01.031Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 study examines the competition for space among different species of worms (helminth parasites) that infest a horse’s large intestine. The results show that these parasites not only prefer certain areas of the intestine but also that their population size and distribution are influenced by the presence of other parasite species.

Methodology

  • The research was conducted by investigating the large intestines of 50 horses. These horses were infested with adult and larval-stage helminth parasites.
  • The team studied three parts of the intestine: the ventral colon, dorsal colon and caecum, counting the parasites present and identifying their species. In total, 33 different species were identified.
  • Lastly, statistical tests (Spearman pairwise correlation and multivariable negative binomial regression) were performed to identify interactions between different parasite species.

Results and Interpretation

  • Findings confirmed that different helminth species prefer specific regions of a horse’s large intestine, a phenomenon known as spatial niche selection.
  • A positive correlation was found in 359 out of 666 partnerships tested, meaning that when one parasite species was present in greater numbers, the other was as well.
  • The multivariable regression models revealed that both negative (competition) and positive (coexistence) interactions exist among these parasites.
  • The most vivid example of this interspecies competition was detected between Strongylus edentatus and Strongylus vulgaris, the most abundant large parasites. The population of S. vulgaris in the caecum tended to decrease when S. edentatus was found in the same area. Yet in the ventral colon, the preferred site of S. edentatus, the presence or absence of the species had no impact on S. vulgaris’ population density.

Conclusion

  • This research contradicts the commonly held belief that the parasite community in a horse’s large intestine operates in isolation, without any negative interactions influencing the population distribution.
  • The varied interactions discovered among these parasites in relation to spatial distribution could bear significant implications for understanding and managing intestinal parasites in horses, as well as in other animal hosts.

Cite This Article

APA
Stancampiano L, Mughini Gras L, Poglayen G. (2010). Spatial niche competition among helminth parasites in horse’s large intestine. Vet Parasitol, 170(1-2), 88-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.01.031

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 1873-2550
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 170
Issue: 1-2
Pages: 88-95

Researcher Affiliations

Stancampiano, L
  • Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria e Patologia Animale, Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Via Tolara di Sopra, 50 - 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy. laura.stancampiano@unibo.it
Mughini Gras, L
    Poglayen, G

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Female
      • Horse Diseases / parasitology
      • Horses
      • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / parasitology
      • Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / veterinary
      • Male
      • Regression Analysis
      • Strongyle Infections, Equine / parasitology
      • Strongyloidea / isolation & purification

      Citations

      This article has been cited 10 times.
      1. Boisseau M, Mach N, Basiaga M, Kuzmina T, Laugier C, Sallé G. Patterns of variation in equine strongyle community structure across age groups and gut compartments.. Parasit Vectors 2023 Feb 11;16(1):64.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05645-5pubmed: 36765420google scholar: lookup
      2. Guarniero I, Bellinello E, Trocchi V, Giannini F, Sulliotti V, Stancampiano L. Helminth biocoenosis of Lepus europaeus meridiei (Hilzheimer, 1906) from Pianosa island, Italy.. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022 Dec;19:105-109.
        doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.08.008pubmed: 36105680google scholar: lookup
      3. Frantz AC, Cantú Salazar L, Müller F, Steinbach P, Wittische J, Heddergott M. Interactions of cranial helminths in the European polecat (Mustela putorius): Implications for host body condition.. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022 Aug;18:273-282.
        doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.06.008pubmed: 35832211google scholar: lookup
      4. Habig B, Chowdhury S, Monfort SL, Brown JL, Swedell L, Foerster S. Predictors of helminth parasite infection in female chacma baboons (Papio ursinus).. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021 Apr;14:308-320.
        doi: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2021.03.012pubmed: 33898232google scholar: lookup
      5. 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
      6. Sallé G, Kornaś S, Basiaga M. Equine strongyle communities are constrained by horse sex and species dipersal-fecundity trade-off.. Parasit Vectors 2018 May 2;11(1):279.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-018-2858-9pubmed: 29716644google scholar: lookup
      7. Singh US, Siwal N, Pande V, Das A. Can Mixed Parasite Infections Thwart Targeted Malaria Elimination Program in India?. Biomed Res Int 2017;2017:2847548.
        doi: 10.1155/2017/2847548pubmed: 28900620google scholar: lookup
      8. Vaumourin E, Vourc'h G, Gasqui P, Vayssier-Taussat M. The importance of multiparasitism: examining the consequences of co-infections for human and animal health.. Parasit Vectors 2015 Oct 20;8:545.
        doi: 10.1186/s13071-015-1167-9pubmed: 26482351google scholar: lookup
      9. Hellard E, Pontier D, Sauvage F, Poulet H, Fouchet D. True versus false parasite interactions: a robust method to take risk factors into account and its application to feline viruses.. PLoS One 2012;7(1):e29618.
        doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0029618pubmed: 22235312google scholar: lookup
      10. Kuzmina TA, Tolliver SC, Lyons ET. Three recently recognized species of cyathostomes (Nematoda: Strongylidae) in equids in Kentucky.. Parasitol Res 2011 May;108(5):1179-84.
        doi: 10.1007/s00436-010-2160-zpubmed: 21107866google scholar: lookup
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