Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding

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

doi:10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094

Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding

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

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

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79%), foals (58%), wet mares (49%) and dry mares (46%). For Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (35%) followed by weanlings (21%) and yearlings (10%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (525 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongyles were in yearlings (962 EPG). Among horses that were classified as adults at the time of sampling, 77% (860 of 1119) of mares were low (i.e., <250 EPG) strongyle egg-shedders. Mean strongyle FEC counts were highest in the Mediterranean (818 EPG) followed by summer (599 EPG), winter (442 EPG), and non-seasonal (413 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-six nematode species were detected, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (26.5%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23.7%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (20.5%) being the most frequently detected species. Their richness and relative abundance varied with horse age, season and climatic zone. In addition, Strongylus equinus and Triodontophorus spp. (T. brevicauda and T. serratus) were also detected. This comprehensive study elucidates spatial (climatic zone) and temporal (i.e., seasonal) trends in prevalence and burdens of intestinal nematodes in Australian horses using non-invasive conventional and molecular methods. The information presented in this study is crucial for developing integrated management strategies to control horse parasites in farmed horses.

Original language	English
Article number	110094
Journal	Veterinary Parasitology
Volume	325
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094
State	Published - Jan 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Funding

We are thankful to the managers and staff, breeders and veterinarians of the Thoroughbred industry across Australia for their help and cooperation in collecting faecal samples. We are grateful to Catherine Chicken from Scone Equine Hospital, Annelies McGaw from AgriFutures Australia, Derek Field from the Widden Stud, and Liz Dryburgh, Katherine Simpson and Lara Marwedel from Boehringer Ingelheim for their continued support and advice for various project activities. We also thank Brett Tennent-Brown for his contributions. This work was supported by AgriFutures Australia, Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Boehringer Ingelheim, Australia. The funding partners did not have any role in the design or content of this study. The PhD student, Ghazanfar Abbas, is a grateful recipient of the Australian Government Research Training Scholarship through the University of Melbourne. The authors of this manuscript are members of the Australian Equine Parasitology Advisory Panel (AEPAP), including Abdul Jabbar, Ghazanfar Abbas, Jenni Bauquier, Charles El-Hage, Abdul Ghafar and Ian Beveridge (The University of Melbourne), Anne Beasley (University of Queensland), Kristopher Hughes (Charles Sturt University), Caroline Jacobson and Emma McConnell (Murdoch University), Edwina Wilkes (Racing Victoria), Peter Carrigan and Lucy Cudmore (Scone Equine Hospital) and John Hurley (Swettenham Stud). Boehringer Ingelheim supported the panel. This work was supported by AgriFutures Australia , Thoroughbred Breeders Australia and Boehringer Ingelheim, Australia. The funding partners did not have any role in the design or content of this study. The PhD student, Ghazanfar Abbas, is a grateful recipient of the Australian Government Research Training Scholarship through the University of Melbourne.

Funders	Funder number
Edwina Wilkes
Thoroughbred Breeders Australia
Boehringer-Ingelheim
University of Melbourne
Queensland University of Technology QUT
Agrifutures Australia

Keywords

Australia
Climatic zones
Faecal egg counts
Intestinal nematodes
Next-generation sequencing
Seasons

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Parasitology
General Veterinary

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10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094

Cite this

Abbas, G., Ghafar, A., Beasley, A., Stevenson, M. A., Bauquier, J., Koehler, A. V., Wilkes, E. J. A., McConnell, E., El-Hage, C., Carrigan, P., Cudmore, L., Hurley, J., Gauci, C. G., Beveridge, I., Jacobson, C., Nielsen, M. K., Hughes, K. J., & Jabbar, A. (2024). Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding. Veterinary Parasitology, 325, Article 110094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094

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abstract = "This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82\%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79\%), foals (58\%), wet mares (49\%) and dry mares (46\%). For Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (35\%) followed by weanlings (21\%) and yearlings (10\%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (525 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongyles were in yearlings (962 EPG). Among horses that were classified as adults at the time of sampling, 77\% (860 of 1119) of mares were low (i.e., <250 EPG) strongyle egg-shedders. Mean strongyle FEC counts were highest in the Mediterranean (818 EPG) followed by summer (599 EPG), winter (442 EPG), and non-seasonal (413 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-six nematode species were detected, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (26.5\%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23.7\%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (20.5\%) being the most frequently detected species. Their richness and relative abundance varied with horse age, season and climatic zone. In addition, Strongylus equinus and Triodontophorus spp. (T. brevicauda and T. serratus) were also detected. This comprehensive study elucidates spatial (climatic zone) and temporal (i.e., seasonal) trends in prevalence and burdens of intestinal nematodes in Australian horses using non-invasive conventional and molecular methods. The information presented in this study is crucial for developing integrated management strategies to control horse parasites in farmed horses.",

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Abbas, G, Ghafar, A, Beasley, A, Stevenson, MA, Bauquier, J, Koehler, AV, Wilkes, EJA, McConnell, E, El-Hage, C, Carrigan, P, Cudmore, L, Hurley, J, Gauci, CG, Beveridge, I, Jacobson, C, Nielsen, MK, Hughes, KJ & Jabbar, A 2024, 'Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding', Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 325, 110094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding

AU - Abbas, Ghazanfar

AU - Ghafar, Abdul

AU - Beasley, Anne

AU - Stevenson, Mark A.

AU - Bauquier, Jenni

AU - Koehler, Anson V.

AU - Wilkes, Edwina J.A.

AU - McConnell, Emma

AU - El-Hage, Charles

AU - Carrigan, Peter

AU - Cudmore, Lucy

AU - Hurley, John

AU - Gauci, Charles G.

AU - Beveridge, Ian

AU - Jacobson, Caroline

AU - Nielsen, Martin K.

AU - Hughes, Kristopher J.

AU - Jabbar, Abdul

PY - 2024/1

Y1 - 2024/1

N2 - This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79%), foals (58%), wet mares (49%) and dry mares (46%). For Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (35%) followed by weanlings (21%) and yearlings (10%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (525 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongyles were in yearlings (962 EPG). Among horses that were classified as adults at the time of sampling, 77% (860 of 1119) of mares were low (i.e., <250 EPG) strongyle egg-shedders. Mean strongyle FEC counts were highest in the Mediterranean (818 EPG) followed by summer (599 EPG), winter (442 EPG), and non-seasonal (413 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-six nematode species were detected, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (26.5%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23.7%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (20.5%) being the most frequently detected species. Their richness and relative abundance varied with horse age, season and climatic zone. In addition, Strongylus equinus and Triodontophorus spp. (T. brevicauda and T. serratus) were also detected. This comprehensive study elucidates spatial (climatic zone) and temporal (i.e., seasonal) trends in prevalence and burdens of intestinal nematodes in Australian horses using non-invasive conventional and molecular methods. The information presented in this study is crucial for developing integrated management strategies to control horse parasites in farmed horses.

AB - This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79%), foals (58%), wet mares (49%) and dry mares (46%). For Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (35%) followed by weanlings (21%) and yearlings (10%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (525 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongyles were in yearlings (962 EPG). Among horses that were classified as adults at the time of sampling, 77% (860 of 1119) of mares were low (i.e., <250 EPG) strongyle egg-shedders. Mean strongyle FEC counts were highest in the Mediterranean (818 EPG) followed by summer (599 EPG), winter (442 EPG), and non-seasonal (413 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-six nematode species were detected, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (26.5%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23.7%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (20.5%) being the most frequently detected species. Their richness and relative abundance varied with horse age, season and climatic zone. In addition, Strongylus equinus and Triodontophorus spp. (T. brevicauda and T. serratus) were also detected. This comprehensive study elucidates spatial (climatic zone) and temporal (i.e., seasonal) trends in prevalence and burdens of intestinal nematodes in Australian horses using non-invasive conventional and molecular methods. The information presented in this study is crucial for developing integrated management strategies to control horse parasites in farmed horses.

KW - Australia

KW - Climatic zones

KW - Faecal egg counts

KW - Intestinal nematodes

KW - Next-generation sequencing

KW - Seasons

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DO - 10.1016/j.vetpar.2023.110094

M3 - Article

C2 - 38091893

AN - SCOPUS:85180111953

SN - 0304-4017

VL - 325

JO - Veterinary Parasitology

JF - Veterinary Parasitology

M1 - 110094

ER -

Understanding temporal and spatial distribution of intestinal nematodes of horses using faecal egg counts and DNA metabarcoding

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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