Prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes, parasite control practices and anthelmintic resistance patterns in a working horse population in Egypt.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Anthelmintic resistance is commonly reported in horse populations in developed countries, but evidence in some working horse populations is either lacking or inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: To estimate prevalence of GI nematode infections in working horses in Egypt and to evaluate strongyle resistance to ivermectin, doramectin and fenbendazole. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: Faecal egg count was performed on 644 working horses from 2 provinces in Egypt. A short questionnaire about horse signalment and worming history was completed for each horse. Horses identified with &#x2265;50 strongyle type egg/g (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;146) underwent faecal egg count reduction testing (FECRT) following treatment with ivermectin (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;33), doramectin (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;33) or fenbendazole (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;30). Risk factors for strongyle (&#x2265;200 egg/g) and Parascaris equorum (>0 egg/g) infection were investigated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of low (0-199 epg), medium (200-500 epg) and high (>500 epg) strongyle infection was 88.4%, 5.9% and 5.8%, respectively. P. equorum eggs were detected in 5.1% (n&#xa0;=&#xa0;33) of horses. Strongyle FECR was 100%, 99.97% and 100% following treatment with ivermectin, doramectin and fenbendazole respectively. Anthelmintic treatment in the 12&#xa0;months preceding examination was associated with reduced likelihood of strongyle infection (odds ratio [OR]&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.14, 0.47, P&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001). The likelihood of P. equorum infection was significantly associated with horses' age (OR&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.78, 95% CI&#xa0;=&#xa0;0.69, 0.90; P&#xa0;<&#xa0;.001). Male horses were more likely to have P. equorum infection (OR&#xa0;=&#xa0;2.86, 95% CI&#xa0;=&#xa0;1.37, 5.93, P&#xa0;=&#xa0;.005). MAIN LIMITATIONS: Nonrandomised selection of study areas and larval cultures was unsuccessful for some samples. CONCLUSIONS: There were low prevalence of strongyle and P. equorum infection and no evidence of macrocyclic lactones or benzimidazole resistance in strongyles in the studied working horse population.