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Intestinal parasites in Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii): a field survey at the Hortobágy National Park, Hungary

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2021

C. Jota Baptista Open the ORCID record for C. Jota Baptista [Opens in a new window] ,
E. Sós ,
T. Szabados ,
V. Kerekes  and
L. Madeira de Carvalho Open the ORCID record for L. Madeira de Carvalho [Opens in a new window]
C. Jota Baptista*
Affiliation:
CIISA – Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477Lisbon, Portugal
E. Sós
Affiliation:
Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden, Állatkerti krt. 6-12, 1146, Budapest, Hungary
T. Szabados
Affiliation:
Pentezug Wild Horse Reserve, Hortobágy National Park, Hungary
V. Kerekes
Affiliation:
Pentezug Wild Horse Reserve, Hortobágy National Park, Hungary
L. Madeira de Carvalho
Affiliation:
CIISA – Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar em Sanidade Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477Lisbon, Portugal
*
Author for correspondence: C. Jota Baptista, E-mail: catabap@hotmail.com
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Abstract

The Pentezug Wildhorse Reserve, located in the Hortobágy National Park, Hungary, has one of the biggest ex situ populations of Przewalski's horses and aims to preserve its landscape and to study this subspecies. Between September and November 2018, 79 faecal samples were collected from Przewalski's horses. The McMaster, Willis flotation, natural sedimentation and coproculture methods were applied to all the samples. Results showed an average level of 1287 eggs per gram (EPG), which is a high faecal egg-shedding level. All the samples were positive for strongyle-type eggs (100%). There were no statistical differences regarding the EPG values between different harems of the population. The same happened when considering sexes, ages, lactating status or when bachelors are compared with harem members. Cyathostominae were dominant, when compared to Strongylinae and Tricostrongylidae, and 15 different morphological infective third-stage larvae types and/or species belonging to the order Strongylida were identified. The subfamily Cyathostominae was prevalent in 100% of the horses. Strongylus vulgaris was the most prevalent strongylin (40.5%). Additionally, 27.8% were positive for Parascaris sp. and 2.5% showed Oxyuris equi in their faeces. This study revealed that there is a higher prevalence of Triodontophorus serratus and Poteriostomum spp. in juveniles. Horses with S. vulgaris showed lower levels of EPG. This was the first study involving this population, showing 100% prevalence of intestinal parasites.

Keywords

Przewalski's horsesintestinal parasitesCyathostominaeStrongylus vulgarisHortobágy
Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 95 , 2021 , e39
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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