The global prevalence of Giardia infection in horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Abstract: Giardia duodenalis as a common zoonotic parasite is a public health problem infecting humans and a wide range of animals, including horses. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the global pooled prevalence of Giardia infection in horses. Literature searches were conducted using databases including Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science and ProQuest to December 2023. A random-effect model was performed to calculate the pooled prevalence and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) according to the degree of heterogeneity in the included studies. Of 2661 articles, approximately 27 articles were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of giardiasis in horses using the random effect method was 8.93% (95% CI = 5.98% to 12.42%). There were significant differences between the giardiasis prevalence in different continent, countries and ages of horses. The highest and lowest prevalence of giardiasis was found in Europe (12.24%) and Africa (0 %), respectively. The prevalence of Giardia was significantly higher in horses <3 years of ages. Based on the diagnostic method, the highest and lowest incidence of horse Giardia infection was detected by immunological assays (9.24%) and molecular methods (7.87%), respectively. The result of our study showed that assemblage B is the most common genotype in horses followed by assemblage A and E. Due to the widespread use of horses on farms or for recreational riding, data on the source of infection, prevalence, transmission mechanisms, and genotype are crucial for the establishment of control and prevention strategies.
Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Publication Date: 2025-05-05 PubMed ID: 40334800DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2025.105596Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research article presents a detailed review and analysis of the worldwide prevalence of Giardia infection in horses. It examines various studies and estimates an overall infection rate while also exploring how this differs by continent, country, age of the horse, and method of diagnosis.
Objective of the Study
- The primary goal of the study was to calculate the global pooled prevalence of Giardia infection in horses. Giardia duodenalis is a widespread zoonotic parasite, meaning it can pass from animals to humans, and thus poses a significant public health concern. As horses are commonly used on farms or for recreational riding, information on Giardia infection in these animals is essential for creating effective control and prevention strategies.
Research Methodology
- The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant literature. They searched databases like Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest up until December 2023.
- Out of 2661 articles, around 27 met the criteria to be included in their meta-analysis.
- The researchers used a random-effect model to calculate the overall prevalence of Giardia amongst horses around the world, along with a corresponding 95% confidence interval. This statistical method considers the variability or heterogeneity across different studies.
Findings of the Study
- The overall prevalence of giardiasis in horses was found to be 8.93% (95% CI = 5.98% – 12.42%).
- There were notable variations in giardiasis prevalence among different continents and countries. Europe presented the highest prevalence (12.24%), whereas no cases were reported in Africa.
- The research also found that Giardia was significantly more prevalent in horses younger than 3 years.
- In terms of diagnostic methods used to detect Giardia, immunological assays reported the highest incidence (9.24%), while molecular methods reported a lower incidence (7.87%).
- The researchers discovered that the most common Giardia genotype in horses was assemblage B, followed by assemblages A and E.
Cite This Article
APA
Mizani A, Taherkhani P, Kia Lashaki E, Hosseini SA, Basirpour B, Dodangeh S.
(2025).
The global prevalence of Giardia infection in horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Equine Vet Sci, 150, 105596.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2025.105596 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Parasitology, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Qods Hospital, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, To.C, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Communicable Diseases Institute, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- Student Research Committee, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
- Medical Microbiology Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran. Electronic address: sdodangeh@ymail.com.
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
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