<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Thirty-one Polish primitive horses (<italic>Equus caballus</italic>) from three herds (two from the reserve and onefrom the stable) were dewormed with ivermectin+praziquantel and examined for the gastrointestinalparasite fauna. A total of 21.231 parasites were collected from the faeces at 24, 36 and 48 hoursposttreatment. There were 35 nematode species, one cestode and one botfl y larva. <italic>Strongyloideswesteri</italic> infection was confirmed pretreatment by faecal sample examination and no threadwormspecimens were found after deworming. Large and small strongyle prevalence was 90 % – 100 % and represented by 31 species. Among a total of 25 cyathostome species recovered (from 19 to 24in each group), five species (<italic>C. catinatum, C. minutus, C. longibursatus, C. nassatus</italic> and <italic>C. ashworthi</italic>)had a prevalence of 100 % in three groups of horses. Meanwhile 14 species were 100 % prevalent in one herd. A total of six large strongyle species were found in adult horses. <italic>Oxyuris equi</italic>was recorded in 60 – 100 % of the horses while <italic>Parascaris equorum</italic> was detected in 100 % of foalsand 16.7 % – 30 % of adult mares. <italic>Habronema muscae</italic> was found in 30 % of the horses from onefree-ranging herd. Tapeworms (<italic>Anoplocephala perfoliata</italic>) were found in 90 % of the horses from onefree-ranging group, whereas botfl y larvae (<italic>Gasterophilus intestinalis</italic>) were found in 50 – 80 % of allsurveyed horses. The present results are compared with earlier studies of Polish primitive wild horsesfrom similar reserves in Poland. A total of 36 gastrointestinal parasite species were recorded fromwild and stabled horses from the Biebrza National Park. This is in comparison with 35 such speciesin free-ranging and stabled horses from the Roztocze National Park and with 28 such species offree-ranginghorses from the Popielno forest reserve.</p><p>Among parasites recovered, the highly prevalent <italic>S. vulgaris</italic>, tapeworms and botfl y larvae pose aserious risk of serious abdominal disorders in horses.</p></abstract>

Thirty-one Polish primitive horses (Equus caballus) from three herds (two from the reserve and onefrom the stable) were dewormed with ivermectin+praziquantel and examined for the gastrointestinalparasite fauna. A total of 21.231 parasites were collected from the faeces at 24, 36 and 48 hoursposttreatment. There were 35 nematode species, one cestode and one botfl y larva. Strongyloideswesteri infection was confirmed pretreatment by faecal sample examination and no threadwormspecimens were found after deworming. Large and small strongyle prevalence was 90 % – 100 % and represented by 31 species. Among a total of 25 cyathostome species recovered (from 19 to 24in each group), five species (C. catinatum, C. minutus, C. longibursatus, C. nassatus and C. ashworthi)had a prevalence of 100 % in three groups of horses. Meanwhile 14 species were 100 % prevalent in one herd. A total of six large strongyle species were found in adult horses. Oxyuris equiwas recorded in 60 – 100 % of the horses while Parascaris equorum was detected in 100 % of foalsand 16.7 % – 30 % of adult mares. Habronema muscae was found in 30 % of the horses from onefree-ranging herd. Tapeworms (Anoplocephala perfoliata) were found in 90 % of the horses from onefree-ranging group, whereas botfl y larvae (Gasterophilus intestinalis) were found in 50 – 80 % of allsurveyed horses. The present results are compared with earlier studies of Polish primitive wild horsesfrom similar reserves in Poland. A total of 36 gastrointestinal parasite species were recorded fromwild and stabled horses from the Biebrza National Park. This is in comparison with 35 such speciesin free-ranging and stabled horses from the Roztocze National Park and with 28 such species offree-ranginghorses from the Popielno forest reserve.Among parasites recovered, the highly prevalent S. vulgaris, tapeworms and botfl y larvae pose aserious risk of serious abdominal disorders in horses.

Gastrointestinal parasites of the Polish primitive horses from the Biebrza National Park

I.I. Schmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine, Kyiv, vul. B. Khmelnits ‘kogo 15, Ukraine 01601

Veterinary Private Practice, Pisz, Mickiewicza 41, Poland

W. Stefanski Institute of Parasitology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Twarda 51/55, Poland

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Thirty-one Polish primitive horses (Equus caballus) from three herds (two from the reserve and onefrom the stable) were dewormed with ivermectin+praziquantel...

Gastrointestinal parasites of the Polish primitive horses from the Biebrza National Park

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 10, 2016

Page range: 39 - 46

Received: Feb 27, 2015

Accepted: Jul 15, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0065

Keywords
horse, parasite community, biodiversity, Strongylidae, Poland

© 2016 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Gastrointestinal parasites of the Polish primitive horses from the Biebrza National Park

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Mar 10, 2016

Page range: 39 - 46

Received: Feb 27, 2015

Accepted: Jul 15, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0065

Keywordshorse, parasite community, biodiversity, Strongylidae, Poland

© 2016 Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
horse, parasite community, biodiversity, Strongylidae, Poland