Gastrointestinal helminths detected in wild horses in Konya Province, Turkey

Authors: ONUR CEYLAN, BİLAL DİK, CEYLAN CEYLAN, ASMA SEMASSEL, ÖZLEM DERİNBAY EKİCİ, GONCA SÖNMEZ

Abstract: This study was conducted to identify the gastrointestinal helminths of wild horses in Konya, Turkey. Fresh stool samples collected from 66 horses were evaluated by flotation, sedimentation, Baermann-Wetzel, and stool culture methods. All 66 stool samples examined were found to be positive for helminths and the following parasites were detected: Trichonema spp. was detected in all stool samples (100%), followed by Poteriostomum spp. (45.5%), Strongylus vulgaris (34.9%), and Strongylus equinus (27.3%). In addition, Oesophagodontus spp. (9.1%), Strongylus edentatus (7.6%), Triodontophorus spp. (4.6%), Gyalocephalus spp. (4.6%), Oxyuris equi (3.0%), Parascaris equorum (1.5%), and Strongyloides westeri (1.5%) were detected at lower levels. Wild horses with multiple helminth species infections included 23 horses (34.9%) with two species, 18 (27.3%) with three species, 15 (22.7%) with one species, 7 (10.6%) with four species, and 3 with five species (4.5%). This study is important in terms of providing information regarding the helminth fauna of free-living wild horses in Turkey.

Keywords: wild horse, helminth, nematode, Strongylus, Turkey

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