TDK conference 2015

Small- and large strongyles that live in the caecum and colon of horses are the most common equine parasites worldwide. Since the beginning of the 20th century the occurrence of these nematodes has been known in Hungary, however, nowadays data is unavailable about their prevalence in the local stud farms.

In the spring of 2015 fecal samples were collected from 440 horses in 5 farms, and information about keeping conditions and their anthelmintic treatment of the horses were recorded. During the laboratory studies strongyle type eggs per gram (EPG) were checked with McMaster method. Following the larval culture third stage larvae were isolated and identified as small strongyles, Strongylus vulgaris, S. equinus or S. edentatus.

The majority of horses (320 /440, 72.7%) were infected with these nematodes. The prevalence of strongyle infection of the farms ranged from 48.4% to 89.6%. The smallest and the biggest EPG was 50 and 1950, respectively. Majority of horses (313/440, 71.1%) harboured small strongyles. The larvae of Strongylus species were found in the samples of 108 (24.5%) horses. The most common species was S. equinus, 98 (22.3%) horses were infected. Strongylus vulgaris, having the greatest pathological significance, occurred in 20, and S. edentatus in 7 animals. The three large strongyle species were found together in 3 stud farms. No correlation was found between the age of horses and their nematode infections.

To the best of our knowledge, these findings are new information about the occurrence of Strongylus species in Hungarian horses. Based on the results, it can be concluded that many local horses are infected with large and/or small strongyles despite the use of anthelmintic treatments. On the other hand, not all of the horses should be treated in each stud farm.