Abstract
Distal ileum, caecum and proximal colon of 470 horses were examined for helminths during 1 year at an abattoir in central Sweden. The infection levels of the horse tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata, their stage of development, site of attachment and gross pathological lesions caused by the worm were recorded. Faecal samples from 395 of the horses were examined specifically for tapeworm segments and eggs in order to correlate these findings with the numbers in the alimentary canal. In total 65% of the horses were infected with A. perfoliata and the mean intensity of infection was 79 worms per infected horse with a maximum of 912. The level of infection was significantly higher in (1) 3rd and 4th than in 1st and 2nd quarter of the year; (2) older horses than in yearlings; (3) females than in males and geldings; (4) thoroughbreed and cold-blooded horses than in Swedish standardbreeds and ponies. The level of infection was unaffected by the usage of anthelminthics against nematodes. Of the horses examined 51% had 1-100 worms whereas 14% were infected with more than 100 worms. Of the tapeworm positive horses 72% had mixed infections with both adult and juvenile worms, 20% solely juveniles, and 8% solely adults. The severity of intestinal lesions exacerbated by increasing numbers of A. perfoliata. About 11% of the intestines examined had severe lesions, but there was no history of acute abdominal distress in any of the horses included in this study. Although the number of detectable eggs was significantly higher for horses heavily infected with A. perfoliata, the egg recovery among infected horses was only 35%. An additional field survey comprising 218 horses on 88 premises in central and southern parts of Sweden showed that the prevalence of A. perfoliata egg positive horses was the same as found on faecal examination during the abattoir survey.
Keywords: Cestoda, equine, Scandinavia, epidemiology
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.8 MB).
Acknowledgments
Histopathological examination performed by Dr. Nils-Gunnar Nilsson and technical assistance by Ms. Sofia Törnlöv are gratefully acknowledged. Financial support was obtained from the Swedish Horse Race Totalisator Board (ATG) and Agria Insurance Co, Stockholm, Sweden.
References
- Anonymous . Reference Handbook 418. UK: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; 1986. Manual of Veterinary Parasitological Laboratory Techniques; pp. 11–12. [Google Scholar]
- Bain SA, Kelly JD. Prevalence and pathogenecity of Anoplocephala perfoliata in a horse population in South Auckland. N. Z.vet. J. 1977;25:27–28. doi: 10.1080/00480169.1977.34343. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Beroza G A, Williams R, Marcus LP, Mille P. Prevalence of tapeworm infection and associated large bowel disease in horses. Proc. Equine Colic Res. Symp. 1986;2:21–25. [Google Scholar]
- Edwards GB. Surgical management of intussusception in the horse. Equine vet. J. 1986;18:313–321. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1986.tb03640.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Eydal M. Gastrointestinal parasites in horses in Iceland. J. agr. Res. Icel. 1983;15:3–28. [Google Scholar]
- Fogarty U, del Piero F, Purnell RE, Mosurski KR. Incidence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses examined at an Irish abattoir. Vet. Ree. 1994;134:515–518. doi: 10.1136/vr.134.20.515. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- French DD, Chapman MR. Tapeworms of the equine gastrointestinal tract. Comp. cont. Ed. pract. Vet. 1992;14:655–661. [Google Scholar]
- Geering RR, Johnson PJ. Equine tapeworms more prevalent. Vet. Ree. 1990;125:96. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Höglund J, Ljungström BL, Nilsson O, Uggla A: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of antibodies to Anoplocephala perfoliata in horse sera. Vet. Parasitol., in press. [DOI] [PubMed]
- Lütken R. Bandmask hos hast. (Tapeworms in horses) Sv. Vet.tidn. 1991;43:73–76. [Google Scholar]
- Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Drudge JH, Swerczek T-C. Common internal parasites found in the stomach, large intestine, and cranial mesenteric artery of Thoroughbreds in Kentucky at necropsy (1985 to 1986) Amer. J. vet. Res. 1987;48:268–273. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Margolis L, Esch GW, Holmes JC, Kurtis AM, Schad G A. The use of ecological terms in parasitology (report of an ad hoc Committee of the American Society of Parasitologists) J. Parasitol. 1982;68:131–133. doi: 10.2307/3281335. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
- Owen R, Jagger DW, Quan-Taylor R. Prevalence of Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses and ponies in Clwyd, Powys and adjacent English marches. Vet. Ree. 1988;123:562–563. doi: 10.1136/vr.123.22.562. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Owen R, Jagger DW, Quan-Taylor R. Caecal intussusceptions in horses and the significance of Anoplocephala perfoliata. Vet. Ree. 1989;124:34–37. doi: 10.1136/vr.124.2.34. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Pearson GR, Davies LW, White AL, O'Brien JK. Pathological lesions associated with Anoplocephala perfoliata at the ileo-caecal junction of horses. Vet. Ree. 1993;20:179–182. doi: 10.1136/vr.132.8.179. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Proudman CJ, Edwards GB. Validation of a centrif-ugation/flotation technique for the diagnosis of equine cestodiasis. Vet. Ree. 1992;131:71–72. doi: 10.1136/vr.131.4.71. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Proudman CJ, Edwards GB. Are tapeworms associated with equine colic? A case control study. Eq. vet. J. 1993;25:224–226. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1993.tb02948.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Sanda Y, Tsukada T. Efficacy trial with pyrantel pamoate against Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses. Jpn. J. vet. Med. 1985;772:722–725. [Google Scholar]
- Yoshihara T, Oikawa M, Katayama Y, Kaneko M. Proc. W.A.A.V.P. Congress. 1993. The prevalence of internal parasites in race horses in Japan: A necropsy survey; p. 151. [Google Scholar]