Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals

Ghazanfar Abbas; Abdul Ghafar; Anson V. Koehler; Jenni Bauquier; Edwina J.A. Wilkes; Caroline Jacobson; Anne Beasley; John Hurley; Lucy Cudmore; Peter Carrigan; Brett Tennent-Brown; Charles El-Hage; Martin K. Nielsen; Charles G. Gauci; Kristopher J. Hughes; Ian Beveridge; Abdul Jabbar

doi:10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals

Ghazanfar Abbas
, Abdul Ghafar
, Anson V. Koehler
, Jenni Bauquier
, Edwina J.A. Wilkes
, Caroline Jacobson
, Anne Beasley
, John Hurley
, Lucy Cudmore
, Peter Carrigan
, Brett Tennent-Brown
, Charles El-Hage
, Martin K. Nielsen
, Charles G. Gauci
, Kristopher J. Hughes
, Ian Beveridge
, Abdul Jabbar

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Results: Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Original language	English
Article number	444
Journal	Parasites and Vectors
Volume	14
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1
State	Published - Dec 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

Funding

The financial assistance for this project was provided by the AgriFutures Australia, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Boehringer Ingelheim, Australia. GA is a grateful recipient of the Australian Government Research Training Scholarship through the University of Melbourne. The authors are thankful to the stud manager of the Thoroughbred farm in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia for providing faecal samples from foals. The listed authors are members of the Australian Equine Parasite Advisory Panel supported by AgriFutures Australia and Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia.

Funders
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Australia Pty. Ltd
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia
Boehringer-Ingelheim
University of Melbourne
Agrifutures Australia

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

Australian Thoroughbred horses
Genetic characterisation
Sanger sequencing
Strongyloides sp

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Parasitology
General Veterinary
Infectious Diseases

Access to Document

10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

Cite this

Abbas, G., Ghafar, A., Koehler, A. V., Bauquier, J., Wilkes, E. J. A., Jacobson, C., Beasley, A., Hurley, J., Cudmore, L., Carrigan, P., Tennent-Brown, B., El-Hage, C., Nielsen, M. K., Gauci, C. G., Hughes, K. J., Beveridge, I., & Jabbar, A. (2021). Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals. Parasites and Vectors, 14(1), Article 444. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

@article{94dd407ec7b64756a7086110c784e08a,

title = "Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals",

abstract = "Background: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Results: Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4\% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]",

keywords = "Australian Thoroughbred horses, Genetic characterisation, Sanger sequencing, Strongyloides sp",

author = "Ghazanfar Abbas and Abdul Ghafar and Koehler, \{Anson V.\} and Jenni Bauquier and Wilkes, \{Edwina J.A.\} and Caroline Jacobson and Anne Beasley and John Hurley and Lucy Cudmore and Peter Carrigan and Brett Tennent-Brown and Charles El-Hage and Nielsen, \{Martin K.\} and Gauci, \{Charles G.\} and Hughes, \{Kristopher J.\} and Ian Beveridge and Abdul Jabbar",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021, The Author(s).",

year = "2021",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

number = "1",

}

Abbas, G, Ghafar, A, Koehler, AV, Bauquier, J, Wilkes, EJA, Jacobson, C, Beasley, A, Hurley, J, Cudmore, L, Carrigan, P, Tennent-Brown, B, El-Hage, C, Nielsen, MK, Gauci, CG, Hughes, KJ, Beveridge, I & Jabbar, A 2021, 'Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals', Parasites and Vectors, vol. 14, no. 1, 444. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

TY - JOUR

T1 - Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals

AU - Abbas, Ghazanfar

AU - Ghafar, Abdul

AU - Koehler, Anson V.

AU - Bauquier, Jenni

AU - Wilkes, Edwina J.A.

AU - Jacobson, Caroline

AU - Beasley, Anne

AU - Hurley, John

AU - Cudmore, Lucy

AU - Carrigan, Peter

AU - Tennent-Brown, Brett

AU - El-Hage, Charles

AU - Nielsen, Martin K.

AU - Gauci, Charles G.

AU - Hughes, Kristopher J.

AU - Beveridge, Ian

AU - Jabbar, Abdul

PY - 2021/12

Y1 - 2021/12

N2 - Background: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Results: Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

AB - Background: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Results: Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

KW - Australian Thoroughbred horses

KW - Genetic characterisation

KW - Sanger sequencing

KW - Strongyloides sp

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85114335472

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85114335472#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

DO - 10.1186/s13071-021-04966-1

M3 - Article

C2 - 34479608

AN - SCOPUS:85114335472

SN - 1756-3305

VL - 14

JO - Parasites and Vectors

JF - Parasites and Vectors

IS - 1

M1 - 444

ER -

Molecular detection of Strongyloides sp. in Australian Thoroughbred foals

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this