Prevalence and epidemiology of the major gastrointestinal parasites of horses in Perth, Western Australia

Abstract

Summary A survey was conducted on the prevalence of the major gastrointestinal parasites in 140 horses necropsied in Perth, Western Australia, during 1979 to 1982. Adult Strongylus vulgaris were found in 22.5 per cent of horses and verminous arteritis in 62.9 per cent. The peak worm prevalence was in November to January (summer). S edentatus had a similar prevalence and seasonality but S equinus was not found in this survey. Draschia megastoma and Habronema muscae were found in 66.2 per cent and 35.3 per cent of horses respectively. Infection is probably acquired in summer when 8 per cent of the Musca domestica in the vicinity of the stables carried third stage spiruroid larvae. Gasterophilus intestinalis and G nasalis occurred in 36.4 per cent and 22.1 per cent of the horses respectively and 52.1 per cent of horses were infected with one or both species. The peak prevalence of G intestinalis larvae occurred in December with a trough in February‐April; the peak prevalence of G nasalis was in May with a trough in November‐December. Parascaris equorum was found in 9.9 per cent of the horses and in 21.3 per cent of those less than three years old. Anoplocephala perfoliata was found in 4.9 per cent of the horses and most of these were in older horses.

Atlarda Bulunan Helmi̇nt Türleri̇

“…Atlarda cestodlardan en çok A. perfoliata'ya rastlandığı ve bunu A. magna'nın izlediği kaydedilmektedir (8,20,25,(42)(43)(44). Yurt dışın-da yapılan çalışmalarda cestod enfeksiyonlannın yayılışı dışkı bakısına göre %0.7-55 arasın-da (19,26,39,42,45), otopsi bakısına göre %1.2-100 arasında (8,20,25,28,(42)(43)(44) (8,16,19,20,25,35,38) Türkiye'deki atların %0.8-25.2 sinde kaydedilmiştir (1, 23).…”

“…Yurt dışın-da yapılan çalışmalarda cestod enfeksiyonlannın yayılışı dışkı bakısına göre %0.7-55 arasın-da (19,26,39,42,45), otopsi bakısına göre %1.2-100 arasında (8,20,25,28,(42)(43)(44) (8,16,19,20,25,35,38) Türkiye'deki atların %0.8-25.2 sinde kaydedilmiştir (1, 23). Bu ça-lışmada ise incelenen atların hepsinde Habronema sp.…”

“…Yurtdışında yapılan çalışmalarda atlardan daha çok Strongylidae, Habronema Sp., Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Anoplocephala perfoliata türlerinin bulunduğu, bunların dışın-da Strongyloides westeri, Probstmayria vivipara, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi, Anoplocephala magna gibi türleri n ve bazı trematodların sınırlı yayılış gösterdiği bildirilmiştir (8,20,21,25,40,43,44).…”

The comparative morphology of three equine habronematid nematodes: SEM observations

“…In Iran, the first study on gastrointestinal helminths of naturally infected horses was carried out by Mirzayans et al (1974). Apart from epidemiological findings pertaining to the distribution of D. megastoma, H. muscae and H. microstoma around the world (Waddell 1969;Scialdo-Krecek 1983;Dunsmore and Jue Sue 1985;Krecek et al 1987;Tolliver et al 1987;Mfitilodze and Hutchinson 1989;Pandey et al 1992;Ricci and Sabatini 1992;Lyons et al 1994;Bucknell et al 1995;Gawor 1995;Cirak et al 1996;Hoglund et al 1997;Borgsteede and van Beek 1998;Pereira and Vianna 2006), there is limited information concerning these parasites and a paucity of information on the morphology of equine stomach worms using scanning electron microscopy (SEM; Naem 2007). In addition, there are only a few molecular studies (Traversa et al 2004a(Traversa et al , b, 2006 that have shown the differences between H. muscae and H. microstoma and a small number of investigations evaluating the morphology of avian habronematid nematodes based on light and SEM (Nandi and Majumdar 1987;Nandi 2005;Brooks 2004, 2005).…”

Identification of the intermediate hosts of Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae under field conditions

“…; in particular Stomoxys calcitrans (stable fly) was found to act as an intermediate host of H. microstoma and Musca domestica (house fly) of H. muscae (Roubaud & Descauzeaux, 1922a, 1922b; Mello & Cuocolo, 1943). However, there are insufficient data on the presence of immature Habronema in naturally infected flies (Nishiyama, 1958; Dunsmore & Jue Sue, 1985) and there is still uncertainty about the vectorial roles of S. calcitrans and M. domestica in field conditions (Neveu‐Lemaire, 1943; Anderson, 2000). Furthermore, no field study is available regarding the vectorial competence of other symbovine biting (e.g.…”