Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Horses of Jabalpur Region

Khelendra Singh Yadav, Pramod Chandra Shukla, Devendra Kumar Gupta, Aditya Mishra^*

*Corresponding author:amishra5@yahoo.co.in

ARTICLE CITATION: Yadav KS, Shukla PC, Gupta DK and Mishra A (2014). Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses of Jabalpur region. Res. J. Vet. Pract. 2 (3): 44 – 48.
Received: 2013–09–30, Revised: 2014–02–02, Accepted: 2014–02–13
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at ( http://dx.doi.org/10.14737/journal.rjvp/2014/2.3.44.48 ) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

ABSTRACT

The present study showed an overall prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses was found as 59.25% (80/135). On the basis of mean egg per gram (EPG), the higher prevalence was found in unorganized sector i.e., 65.45% in comparison of organized sector i.e. well managed farms (32%). Species of nematodes identified in the study included single infestation like, Strongyle (25%), Parascaris equorum (18.75%) followed by mixed infestation like Strongyles and Parascaris equorum (47.50%), Strongyles (species identification not done), Strongyloides and Parascaris equorum (5.0%) and Strongyle and Strongyloides (3.75%). The results of the present investigation revealed a relatively higher prevalence of mixed infestation in the horses. The prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses was maximum in the age group of 1–6 years (69.09%) followed by 6–12 years (62.96) and above 12–18 years (34.78%) respectively. The highest mean EPG was found in 12–18 years (1229.2) followed by 1–6 years (1079.50) and 6–12 years (887.29). The prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses was higher in females (60.97) in comparison to males (58.51). The highest mean EPG was found in females (1162.51) in comparison of males (942.24).

INTRODUCTION

Gastrointestinal nematodes are becoming increasingly resistant to the anthelmintics used to control them. The group of equine strongyle, Strongyloides and Parascaris equorum nematodes is very diverse and consists of about 60 described species (Stoltenow and Purdy, 2006). Climate variation, pasture and stable management, anthelmintic treatment and nutritional status of horses are the major epidemiological features which have been recognized for nematode infections. The cost of routine vermifuge applications on herds, the problem of residues in animal products and the environment have prompted for research on the anthelmintic activity of plant extracts. The anthelmintic efficacy of the aqueous extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf, stem, root and barks against the hatching of eggs and the survival of larvae of nematode parasites of small ruminants have been studied. In the present investigation work was primarily designed to study the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses in and around Jabalpur, M.P., India.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes of horses was studied in nine private and two government sector farms located in and around Jabalpur, M.P., India. In the present study, a total of 135 horses were screened for finding the prevalence and included about 20 horses every month for a period of six months to study the month wise variation of nematodes in horses. For the proposed work, 20–30 g of faecal sample (freshly voided) was collected from each animal. These samples were packed in small polythene bags and ligated with rubber bands and after proper labeling these polythene bags were brought to laboratory for further processing and examination. The age, sex, history of deworming, feeding habbits, managemental and health status of the animals were also recorded.

Faecal Examination by Qualitative Method

Macroscopic Examination
Faecal samples collected from the horses were placed in a clean glass petridish and examined for the presence of any adult nematodes. It was also examined to determine the consistency and any type of abnormality of the faecal sample.

Microscopic Examination
Direct smear technique: A small quantity of crushed faecal sample (about 3 g) was mixed with 10 ml of water in a beaker, stirring was done continuously and then a drop of this solution was put on a clean glass slide, which was covered with a cover slip. Examination was done under low power of compound microscope (10 X) for the presence of eggs or larvae of any parasite in the faecal sample.

Flotation Method
Nematode and cestode eggs were detected by modified Sheather’s sugar floatation technique (Sloss and Kemp, 1997). Three gram of faecal sample was mixed in 30 ml of water and strained through a tea strainer. After sieving 1–2 ml of suspension was taken in a 15 ml centrifuge tube, then sheather’s solution was added up to 3\4 of the tube. The tube was agitated carefully by putting in between the thumb and forefinger, more sheather’s solution was added up to the brim of the tube making a convex layer. A circular cover slip was placed over the tube and centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 3–4 min. After centrifugation, cover slip was lifted vertically and kept on a glass slide and then examined for the presence of eggs.

Faecal Examination by Quantitative Method
Modified Mc Master Technique:To assess the severity of infection in the positive animal eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) was counted for each positive sample by Modified McMaster Technique (Soulsby, 1982).

RESULTS

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematode
The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses in and around Jabalpur in Madhaya Pradesh, India, was recorded and revealed that out of 135 horses 80 were positive, hence overall prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes recorded in the present study was 59.25% (Table No.1).

During the present study, a total of 135 samples were examined involving both (organized and unorganized) sectors i.e. 25 samples from organized sectors and 110 samples from unorganized sectors indicating the relative prevalence of 32% and 65.45% in organized and unorganized sectors, respectively (Table No.2)

On the other hand the mixed infection of Strongyles and Parascaris equorum was found to be 62.5% and 45.83% in organised and unorganized sector, respectively. Whereas the mixed infection of Strongyle, Parascaris equorum and Strongyloides (species identification not done) was 5.55% and that of Strongyle and Strongyloides was observed to be 4.16% in unorganized sectors. (Table No.5).

Age
The prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses was higher in the age group 1–6 years (69.09%) followed by 6–12 years (62.96) and above 12–18 years (34.78%), respectively (Table No.2).

The gastrointestinal nematodes infection was most common in the age group between 1–6 years and 6–12 years. The highest mean EPG was found in 12–18 years (1337.50) followed by 1–6 years (1297.36) and 6–12 years (1041.18). Data on age related prevalence indicated no difference (p = 0.10) among various age groups. A higher proportion of young animals (≤ 10 years of age) were found positive for strongylosis as compared with older horses (≥ 11 years of age).

Sex
The prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes in horses was found to be higher in female horses (60.97) in comparison to male horses (58.51). The highest mean EPG values were found in female horses (1344.00) in comparison to male horses (1123.63). (Table No.3)

Season
The high prevalence rate of nematodes infection in horses, in the present study was recorded in April (85%) and May (70%) months which might be due to the fact being the peak and favorable months for these infections. (Table No.4)

Feeding Habits and Management
The prevalence was higher in horses where free range system was in practice, whereas prevalence was found quite low where stall feeding was practiced. Among the predisposing factors of internal parasites infection are climates, nutritional deficiency, grazing habits, immunological status, pasture management, presence of intermediate host and vector and the number of infective larvae and eggs in the environment, moreover, damages inflicted to the health and productivity includes loss in body weight, poor reproductive performance, digestive disturbance and emaciation for longer period.