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Diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals is still a disease of concern in Argentina
9th ICEID Abstracts / Journal of Equine Veterinary Science 32 (2012) S3-S95 [2] Skotarek SL, Colwell DD, Goater CP. Evaluation of diagnostic techniques for Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from Alberta, Canada. Vet Parasitol 2010;172:249. [3] Cringoli G, Rinaldi L, Maurelli MP, Utzinger J. FLOTAC: new multivalent technique for quantitative copromicroscopic diagnostic of parasites in animals and humans. Nature Protocols 2010; 5:503.
The prevalence of helminths with tissue associated stages in horses in the south-west of England G.C. Coles, D. Fews, H.V.F. Jones, B. Hayes, and K. Shaddick School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
The transmission of a horse strain of Echinococcus granulosus occurs in the UK between hounds fed raw horse meat and horses with infection levels at 60% [1]. To reestimate the prevalence, livers of horses slaughtered at a licenced abattoir were inspected. The opportunity was also taken to examine for the presence of Strongylus vulgaris, Strongylus edentatus and Onchocerca cervicalis. Horses at the abattoir were primarily private horses brought in by owners with some animals from common grazing on moorland. A total 921 horses were visually inspected for the presence of E granulosus, S.edentatus, and Setaria equina. Of these 264 were also examined for S.vulgaris and O.cervicalis. Aneurisms caused by S.vulgaris were dissected out and numbers of larvae counted. To detect O.cervicalis fresh 8mm skin biopsies were collected and thin slices incubated over night at 37C. A questionnaire was sent out to 17 hunts on the feeding of raw meat and treatment of dogs with praziquantel. Hydatid cysts were present in 17.4% of livers. Most livers had only 1-2 cysts between 1 and 10 cms in diameter. As most horses were old when slaughtered this represents the probable rate of infection up to 20 years previously. One decade later E.granulosus cysts are still being found but at a reduced rate of 5.2% (in 1205 horses). 18% of kennels stated that they regularly fed raw horse meat and 59% said they did this occasionally. Only 53% stated that they were using a praziquantel based product so the infection rate is not really surprising. 5.7% of the 264 horses had S.edentatus in the peritoneal cavity and firm white foci in the liver. Of the 18 horses with aneurisms caused by S.vulgaris 3 had no worms and the remainder a mean of 16.7 worms (range 1-52). Although large strongyles have been greatly reduced in prevalence due to the use of macrocylic lactones they are clearly still present in the horse population possibly representing failure to use anthelmintics correctly. Small numbers of larvae of O.cervicalis were only found in October and not during the rest of the winter, S.equina was not found in any horses. The low numbers of O.cervicalis and lack of S.equina probably represents the widespread use of macrocyclic lactones and the disruption of their transmission. References [1] Thompson RCA, Smyth JD. Equine hydatidosis:a review of the current status in Great Britain and the results of an epidemiological survey. Vet Parasitol 1975;1:107.
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Diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals is still a disease of concern in Argentina M. Ferrari 1, S. Miño 2, J. Raffo 1, J. Mondelli 1, M. Etchepareborda 1, A. Vissani 2, V. Parreño 2, and M. Barrandeguy 2 1 La Biznaga Stud Farm, Estación Islas, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2 Instituto de Virología, CICVyA, INTA Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diarrhea in foals is considered a major sanitary problem in thoroughbred breeding farms worldwide. The ethiology of diarrhea can be bacteria, viruses, parasites, or a range of non-infectious agents or conditions such as toxins, lactose intolerance, or “foal heat” diarrhea. During the 1990s, the morbidity rates of diarrhea in foals varied, reaching 100% in some Argentinean farms. Group A Rotavirus (RVA), G3 P[12] and G14 P [12], were associated to 39% of the outbreaks of foal diarrhea studied during a 17-year surveillance period. The introduction of a systematic Rotavirus vaccination program in pregnant mares significantly reduced the morbidity rates, reaching levels of only 15% in some thoroughbred farms. The aim of this work is to describe the occurrence of diarrhea in thoroughbred foals in a farm with high standard management in Argentina. The farm has a history of foal diarrhea outbreaks of variable intensity, which have occurred almost every year, and, as in other farms, the incidence and severity of diarrhea seem to have increased in the last years. The pregnant mares are vaccinated with a commercial inactivated rotavirus vaccine. The foals are born in a clean and disinfected stall, and under the care of a veterinarian, and get good-quality colostrums, in sufficient amounts, within the first 18 hours of life. Those mares with foal on foot are kept in a small individual paddock and under veterinarian supervision for 7 additional days. After this period the mares are grouped on pastured paddocks under daily veterinarian supervision. During the 2011 breeding season 40% (62/156) of the foals developed diarrhea. The first case took place in July 31st, and the last one in December 28th, while the maximum incidence occurred in October, when 24% (32/134) of the foals were affected. The age of affected foals ranged from 8 to 132 days, but in the majority of cases the age was between 10 and 20 days at the moment of the initiation of the disease. The duration of the disease was also variable, but the disease lasted, in average, 7 days. No deaths were registered. All of the affected foals received an immediate supportive symptomatic treatment. Twenty-one samples (diarrheic feces), obtained as soon as diarrhea was taken notice of (first day of disease), were analysed for RVA infection by commercial rapid test (FASTest ROTA Strip Megacor). RVA was detected in 38% (8/21) of the samples, and was characterized as G3 P[12]. In the present study, the number of diarrheic foals that did not shed the virus in feces on the first day of disease is remarkable, and emphasises the need for further research. Other infectious agents could be associated to diarrhea in young foals. Vaccine breakthrough should not be disregarded.
The prevalence of helminths with tissue associated stages in horses in the south-west of England G.C. Coles, D. Fews, H.V.F. Jones, B. Hayes, and K. Shaddick School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
The transmission of a horse strain of Echinococcus granulosus occurs in the UK between hounds fed raw horse meat and horses with infection levels at 60% [1]. To reestimate the prevalence, livers of horses slaughtered at a licenced abattoir were inspected. The opportunity was also taken to examine for the presence of Strongylus vulgaris, Strongylus edentatus and Onchocerca cervicalis. Horses at the abattoir were primarily private horses brought in by owners with some animals from common grazing on moorland. A total 921 horses were visually inspected for the presence of E granulosus, S.edentatus, and Setaria equina. Of these 264 were also examined for S.vulgaris and O.cervicalis. Aneurisms caused by S.vulgaris were dissected out and numbers of larvae counted. To detect O.cervicalis fresh 8mm skin biopsies were collected and thin slices incubated over night at 37C. A questionnaire was sent out to 17 hunts on the feeding of raw meat and treatment of dogs with praziquantel. Hydatid cysts were present in 17.4% of livers. Most livers had only 1-2 cysts between 1 and 10 cms in diameter. As most horses were old when slaughtered this represents the probable rate of infection up to 20 years previously. One decade later E.granulosus cysts are still being found but at a reduced rate of 5.2% (in 1205 horses). 18% of kennels stated that they regularly fed raw horse meat and 59% said they did this occasionally. Only 53% stated that they were using a praziquantel based product so the infection rate is not really surprising. 5.7% of the 264 horses had S.edentatus in the peritoneal cavity and firm white foci in the liver. Of the 18 horses with aneurisms caused by S.vulgaris 3 had no worms and the remainder a mean of 16.7 worms (range 1-52). Although large strongyles have been greatly reduced in prevalence due to the use of macrocylic lactones they are clearly still present in the horse population possibly representing failure to use anthelmintics correctly. Small numbers of larvae of O.cervicalis were only found in October and not during the rest of the winter, S.equina was not found in any horses. The low numbers of O.cervicalis and lack of S.equina probably represents the widespread use of macrocyclic lactones and the disruption of their transmission. References [1] Thompson RCA, Smyth JD. Equine hydatidosis:a review of the current status in Great Britain and the results of an epidemiological survey. Vet Parasitol 1975;1:107.
S47
Diarrhea in Thoroughbred foals is still a disease of concern in Argentina M. Ferrari 1, S. Miño 2, J. Raffo 1, J. Mondelli 1, M. Etchepareborda 1, A. Vissani 2, V. Parreño 2, and M. Barrandeguy 2 1 La Biznaga Stud Farm, Estación Islas, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2 Instituto de Virología, CICVyA, INTA Castelar, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diarrhea in foals is considered a major sanitary problem in thoroughbred breeding farms worldwide. The ethiology of diarrhea can be bacteria, viruses, parasites, or a range of non-infectious agents or conditions such as toxins, lactose intolerance, or “foal heat” diarrhea. During the 1990s, the morbidity rates of diarrhea in foals varied, reaching 100% in some Argentinean farms. Group A Rotavirus (RVA), G3 P[12] and G14 P [12], were associated to 39% of the outbreaks of foal diarrhea studied during a 17-year surveillance period. The introduction of a systematic Rotavirus vaccination program in pregnant mares significantly reduced the morbidity rates, reaching levels of only 15% in some thoroughbred farms. The aim of this work is to describe the occurrence of diarrhea in thoroughbred foals in a farm with high standard management in Argentina. The farm has a history of foal diarrhea outbreaks of variable intensity, which have occurred almost every year, and, as in other farms, the incidence and severity of diarrhea seem to have increased in the last years. The pregnant mares are vaccinated with a commercial inactivated rotavirus vaccine. The foals are born in a clean and disinfected stall, and under the care of a veterinarian, and get good-quality colostrums, in sufficient amounts, within the first 18 hours of life. Those mares with foal on foot are kept in a small individual paddock and under veterinarian supervision for 7 additional days. After this period the mares are grouped on pastured paddocks under daily veterinarian supervision. During the 2011 breeding season 40% (62/156) of the foals developed diarrhea. The first case took place in July 31st, and the last one in December 28th, while the maximum incidence occurred in October, when 24% (32/134) of the foals were affected. The age of affected foals ranged from 8 to 132 days, but in the majority of cases the age was between 10 and 20 days at the moment of the initiation of the disease. The duration of the disease was also variable, but the disease lasted, in average, 7 days. No deaths were registered. All of the affected foals received an immediate supportive symptomatic treatment. Twenty-one samples (diarrheic feces), obtained as soon as diarrhea was taken notice of (first day of disease), were analysed for RVA infection by commercial rapid test (FASTest ROTA Strip Megacor). RVA was detected in 38% (8/21) of the samples, and was characterized as G3 P[12]. In the present study, the number of diarrheic foals that did not shed the virus in feces on the first day of disease is remarkable, and emphasises the need for further research. Other infectious agents could be associated to diarrhea in young foals. Vaccine breakthrough should not be disregarded.