[The communities of cyathostomes (Cyathostominae) in year-old and two-year-old Pure Blood Arabian mares].

The study investigates the species of small strongyles, a type of parasitic worm, present in 34 Pure Blood Arabian horses. The horses were divided into two groups based on their age: one-year-old mares and two-year-old mares. The researchers identified the parasites in the horses’ feces after a deworming treatment and found no evidence of large strongyles but ten species of small strongyles.

Methodology

• The horses studied were kept in a housed-pastured system and were routinely dewormed twice a year using ivermectin compounds.
• For the study, the researchers collected nematodes (roundworms), including strongyles, from 1000 gram feces samples provided by the horses, 24 hours after deworming treatment.
• The collected nematodes were then classified by species, and the researchers calculated the relative abundance of each small strongyles species present.

Results

• The researchers found ten species of small strongyles in the treated feces: Cyathostomum catinatum, C. pateratum, Cylicocyclus nassatus, C. ashworti, C. leptostomus, C. insigne, Cylicostephanus longibursatus, C. goldi, C. calicatus, and Coronocyclus coronatus.
• No large strongyles were found in any samples. Large strongyles are usually more dangerous as intestinal parasites in horses.
• The small strongyles species with the highest relative abundance were C. nassatus, C. catinatum, C. insigne, C. pateratum, C. longibursatus, and C. leptostomus.
• The species distribution was similar across the two age groups, with C. calicatus being common in younger horses and C. insigne more prevalent in older ones.

Significance of the Research

• Identifying and understanding the different species of nematodes present in horses is vital due to the varying rates of infection dynamics and potential pathogenicity (or ability to cause disease) among the species.
• This research is particularly extensive in relation to small strongyles, as it not only determines their presence but also identifies the individual species and their relative abundance in Arabian mares.

This information is important for veterinarians to improve strategies for diagnosing and managing parasitic infections in horses.