Labruna, M. B., & Amaku, M. (2006). Rhythm of engorgement and detachment of Anocentor nitens females feeding on horses. Vet Parasitol, 137(3-4), 316–332.
Abstract: The present study evaluated the engorgement and drop-off rhythms of Anocentor nitens females feeding on horses. Drop-off rhythm was evaluated at 6h-intervals (06:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 00:00 h) on horses held in stalls or in a pasture. A new method of marking feeding female ticks (the bowknot technique) was developed to evaluate ticks on horses in pasture that attached to different parts of the horse's body. This technique was highly successful, indicating no significant interference on tick engorgement rate or final tick weight, length and reproductive capability. Horses held in the pasture during the summer produced only 28.2% of the tick detachment during the daylight period from 06:00 to 18:00 h. In contrast, 53.4% of the ticks detached during this same 12 h-period during the winter. This difference was probably related to the longer scotoperiod during the winter. Different drop-off rhythms were observed for females attached to different anatomical parts of the horse's body. For example, ticks attached to the ears, perineum, and tail showed similar drop-off patterns, but were different from ticks attached to mane, rump and other body parts. The idiosoma length of the feeding female ticks was individually measured every 6 h until the engorged female detached naturally. The engorgement rate (increase in millimeters of the body length per hour) was evaluated during the last 96 h of parasitism. The highest engorgement rates were observed during the last 24 h of parasitism (approximately 0.16 mm/h), which were four-fold higher than the engorgement rates of the previous 3 days ( approximately 0.04 mm/h), demonstrating that these lower and higher values corresponded to the slow and rapid feeding phases reported elsewhere. Based on these data, the 6 mm idiosoma length was estimated as the minimal length that would correspond to the time point (i.e. 24 h before detachment) during which ticks would undergo the rapid feeding phase and detach as fully engorged females. When this 6 mm length was tested to estimate the number of engorged females detaching from horses in a period of 24 h, the estimated accuracy varied from 58.5 to 97.7% (mean: 73.3%).
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Boucher, J. M., Hanosset, R., Augot, D., Bart, J. M., Morand, M., Piarroux, R., et al. (2005). Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in wild boars in France using PCR techniques against larval form. Vet Parasitol, 129(3-4), 259–266.
Abstract: Recently, new data have been collected on the distribution and ecology of Echinococcus multilocularis in European countries. Different ungulates species such as pig, goat, sheep, cattle and horse are known to host incomplete development of larval E. multilocularis. We report a case of E. multilocularis portage in two wild boars from a high endemic area in France (Department of Jura). Histological examination was performed and the DNA was isolated from hepatic lesions then amplified by using three PCR methods in two distinct institutes. Molecular characterisation of PCR products revealed 99% nucleotide sequence homology with the specific sequence of the U1 sn RNA gene of E. multilocularis, 99 and 99.9% nucleotide sequence homology with the specific sequence of the cytochrome oxydase gene of Echinococcus genus and 99.9% nucleotide sequence homology with a genomic DNA sequence of Echinococcus genus for the first and the second wild boar, respectively.
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Forbes, A. B. (1993). A review of regional and temporal use of avermectins in cattle and horses worldwide. Vet Parasitol, 48(1-4), 19–28.
Abstract: Ivermectin and abamectin are two members of the group of parasiticides known as the avermectins; ivermectin was first registered as an injectable treatment for cattle in 1981. Since then, abamectin has been registered for cattle and ivermectin for horses. The relative popularity of the avermectins amongst farmers and veterinarians can be attributed to their spectrum of activity, convenience, wide margin of safety and the improved health and performance of stock following their use. Patterns of use in grazing animals apply equally to the avermectins as to other antiparasitics, particularly anthelmintics; these are based on a knowledge of epidemiology integrated with practical management considerations. For cattle, programs are commonly aimed at control of abomasal nematodes of the genera Ostertagia and Haemonchus. Use of avermectins is largely strategic in cattle, treatments being favored at the end of the period of transmission of these parasites; this frequently coincides with housing, entry into a feedlot or movement to another pasture. Simultaneous control of important ectoparasites at this time is an added benefit. Prophylactic use of avermectins at pasture is primarily targeted at the young first season grazing animal. In horses, a bimonthly treatment schedule during the period of risk has proved effective in helping prevent adverse effects of the main target parasites, including large and small strongyles and stomach bots. These patterns of use can be applied to the evaluation of the potential for avermectin residues in feces to have impact on pasture ecology. The evidence presented suggests that any effects are temporally and spatially limited. After more than a decade of practical use, there is no indication that avermectins have had a significant impact on pasture ecology and the environment.
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Hutchinson, G. W., Abba, S. A., & Mfitilodze, M. W. (1989). Seasonal translation of equine strongyle infective larvae to herbage in tropical Australia. Vet Parasitol, 33(3-4), 251–263.
Abstract: Longevity in faeces, migration to and survival on herbage of mixed strongyle infective larvae (approximately 70% cyathostomes: 30% large strongyles) from experimentally deposited horse faeces was studied in the dry tropical region of North Queensland for up to 2 years. Larvae were recovered from faeces deposited during hot dry weather for a maximum of 12 weeks, up to 32 weeks in cool conditions, but less than 8 weeks in hot wet summer. Translation to herbage was mainly limited to the hot wet season (December-March), except when unseasonal winter rainfall of 40-50 mm per month in July and August allowed some additional migration. Survival on pasture was estimated at 2-4 weeks in the summer wet season and 8-12 weeks in the autumn-winter dry season (April-August). Hot dry spring weather (pre-wet season) was the most unfavourable for larval development, migration and survival. Peak counts of up to 60,000 larvae kg-1 dry herbage were recorded. The seasonal nature of pasture contamination allowed the development of rational anthelmintic control programs based on larval ecology.
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Wilhelm, W. E., & Anderson, J. H. (1971). Vahlkampfia lobospinosa (Craig. 1912) Craig. 1913: rediscovery of a coprozoic ameba. J Parasitol, 57(6), 1378–1379.
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Walker, M. L., & Becklund, W. W. (1971). Occurrence of a cattle eyeworm, Thelazia gulosa (Nematoda: Thelaziidae), in an imported giraffe in California and T. lacrymalis in a native horse in Maryland. J Parasitol, 57(6), 1362–1363.
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Malek, E. A. (1971). The life cycle of Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus (Cobbold, 1876) Looss, 1896 (Trematoda: Paramphistomatidae: Gastrodiscinae). J Parasitol, 57(5), 975–979.
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Hoogstraal, H., & Mitchell, R. M. (1971). Haemaphysalis (Alloceraea) aponommoides Warburton (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae), description of immature stages, hosts, distribution, and ecology in India, Nepal, Sikkim, and China. J Parasitol, 57(3), 635–645.
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Hoogstraal, H., Dhanda, V., & Bhat, H. R. (1970). Haemaphysalis (Kaiseriana) davisi sp. n. (Ixodoidea: Ixodidae), a parasite of domestic and wild mammals in Northeastern India, Sikkim, and Burma. J Parasitol, 56(3), 588–595.
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Traversa, D., Giangaspero, A., Iorio, R., Otranto, D., Paoletti, B., & Gasser, R. B. (2004). Semi-nested PCR for the specific detection of Habronema microstoma or Habronema muscae DNA in horse faeces. Parasitology, 129(Pt 6), 733–739.
Abstract: Habronema microstoma and Habronema muscae (Spirurida: Habronematidae) are parasitic nematodes which infect the stomach and/or skin of equids. The accurate diagnosis of gastric habronemosis is central to studying its epidemiology, but data on its distribution and prevalence are lacking, mainly due to the limitations of clinical and coprological diagnosis in live horses. To overcome this constraint, a two-step, semi-nested PCR-based assay was validated (utilizing genetic markers in the nuclear ribosomal DNA) for the specific amplification of H. microstoma or H. muscae DNA from the faeces from horses (n = 46) whose gastrointestinal parasite status had been determined at autopsy and whose faeces were examined previously using a conventional parasitological approach. Of these horses examined at autopsy, some harboured adults of either H. microstoma (n= 19) or H. muscae (n =4), and others (n = 7) harboured both species. Most of them were also infected with other parasites, including strongylid nematodes (subfamilies Cyathostominae and Strongylinae), bots and/or cestodes; there was no evidence of metazoan parasites in 2 horses. Larvated spirurid eggs were detected in the faeces of 1 of the 30 horses (3.3 %) shown to be infected with Habronema at autopsy. For this set of 46 samples, the PCR assay achieved a diagnostic specificity of 100 % and a sensitivity of approximately 97 % (being able to specifically detect as little as approximately 0.02 fg of Habronema DNA). The specificity of the assay was also tested using a panel of control DNA samples representing horse, the gastric spirurid Draschia megastoma and 26 other species of parasites from the alimentary tract of the horse. H. microstoma, H. muscae and D. megastoma could be readily differentiated from one another based on the sizes of their specific amplicons in the PCR. The results of this study showed that the performance of the PCR for the diagnosis of gastric habronemosis was similar to that of autopsy but substantially better than the traditional coprological examination procedure used. The ability to specifically diagnose gastric habronemosis in equids should have important implications for investigating the epidemiology and ecology of H. microstoma and H. muscae.
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