Ultrastructure and some pathological pictures of Gastrodicus aegyptiacus (Cobbold, 1876) in Egyptian horses.

This study looks at the structure and pathological impact of the equine caecal fluke, Gastodiscus aegyptiacus, a parasite found in Egyptian horses. Using scanning electron microscopy, the characteristics of the adult worms and their eggs are examined. Pathological changes in the horses’ digestive system due to the flukes are also documented.

Findings on the Ultrastructure of Gastodiscus aegyptiacus

The study used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to analyze the surface details of the adult worms and eggs of Gastodiscus aegyptiacus. Key observations include:

• The body of G. aegyptiacus has a disc-like shape with a cone-like segment at the anterior end.
• The mouth of the worm, or the oral sucker, is surrounded by numerous dome-shaped structures called papillae.
• The cone-like segment of the worm has tubercle-like papillae on the anterior third of the cone.
• The ventral sucker, or the sucker on the bottom side of the worm, is larger in size, slightly positioned towards the animal’s tail, and has small papillae at its edge.
• The bottom side of the worm, or the ventral surface, is covered with large structures resembling cauliflowers, known as papillae.
• Microvilli, or small cellular protrusions, are densely arranged on the surface of the eggs of the G. aegyptiacus.

Pathological Changes in Infected Horses

The study also highlights the impact of G. aegyptiacus on horses’ health. The primary pathological observation is severe hemorrhagic colitis, an inflammation of the horses’ colon accompanied by bleeding. It suggests a significant health concern created by G. aegyptiacus infestations in horses. This issue is critical for the equine industry, biologists, and veterinarians, and this study contributes to a better understanding of one type of parasite that can cause such problems.