Survey on gastrointestinal parasitic helminthes in club and rural horses of Ardabil city, Iran

Parasitic diseases are considered as a major obstacle in the growth and development of animal health all over the world. Horses, in comparison to other domestic animals are reported to be more susceptible to a large number of parasites and may harbor different species at any time. The present study was carried out to establish the Gastrointestinal Parasites (GIP) profile of club and rural horses in Ardabil city. A total of 50 horses made up of 34 males and 16 females were examined in spring and summer, 2015. Fecal samples were processed by flotation techniques. GIP encountered were Strongyles (34%), Parascaris equorum (20%), Strongyloides westrii (12%), Anoplocephalidae (6%), Trichostrongylus spp. (4%), Ornithobilharzia turkestanicum (4%) and Dicrocoelium dendriticum­ (2%). According to the results, no significant differences in infection rate were found between male and female horses. But infection rates were significantly higher in horses without a history of anti-parasitic treatment in comparison with those with a history of anti-parasitic treatment (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between infected and uninfected horses regarding age despite  more infection being observed in horses aged 6–10 yrs. Also, significant difference in infection rate between club and rural horses was not observed. Meanwhile in 4% of samples (2 rural horses), infection with Ornithobilharzia was found which is the first report of this parasite in horses in the region