Strongyle infections and parasitic control strategies in German horses - a risk assessment.
Authors: Schneider Stephanie, Pfister Kurt, Becher Anne M, Scheuerle Miriam C
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
Growing anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomes has prompted shifts away from routine deworming towards selective and strategic protocols, yet the efficacy and risks of these approaches remain incompletely understood in European populations. Researchers collected faecal samples from 1,887 horses across 195 German farms over a 12-month period (June 2012–May 2013), quantifying strongyle egg counts via modified McMaster technique and performing coproculture on samples ≥20 eggs per gram to identify larval species and assess deworming frequency and intervals. The study characterised baseline strongyle prevalence and infection patterns across a large, geographically representative cohort, revealing how selective and strategic deworming protocols compare in controlling cyathostome infections whilst accounting for emerging resistance. For equine practitioners, these data provide essential context for evaluating deworming strategies beyond blanket anthelmintic schedules—informing decisions about faecal egg count thresholds, retest intervals, and targeted treatment selection in light of regional resistance patterns. Understanding these risk factors and infection distributions is critical for developing sustainable parasite management programmes that maintain efficacy whilst minimising further resistance development.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Selective and strategic deworming protocols should be based on quantified fecal egg counts rather than blanket treatment, helping reduce anthelmintic resistance development
- •Regular coproculture analysis of positive samples enables identification of resistant strongyle species on your farm, guiding specific treatment choices
- •Deworming intervals and drug selection require reassessment given widespread cyathostome resistance; this large-scale German data provides a benchmark for infection patterns across different management systems
Key Findings
- •1887 horses across 195 German farms were evaluated for strongyle infection prevalence and fecal egg counts using quantitative McMaster analysis
- •Fecal samples with ≥20 EPG underwent coproculture for species differentiation to assess cyathostome resistance patterns
- •Distribution of FEC, anthelmintic drug frequency, and deworming intervals were characterized to inform selective and strategic deworming approaches
- •Risk assessment of new parasite control strategies was conducted in response to documented anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomes