Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis in horses in Southern Brazil / Enterites e tiflocolites parasitárias fatais em equinos no Sul do Brasil

Abstract Diseases related to the alimentary system are the main cause of death in horses. This retrospective study aimed to describe the pathological findings of fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis caused by cyathostominae, Eimeria leuckarti, Balantidium coli, and Strongyloides westeri in horses. The records of parasite-induced intestinal lesions in horses necropsied in Southern Brazil between 2005 and 2017 were reviewed. Ten horses had fatal parasitic enteritis and/or typhlocolitis, and the main causes were: cyathostominae typhlocolitis (6/10), E. leuckarti enteritis (1/10), S. westeri enteritis (1/10), B. coli colitis related to cyathostominae (1/10), and infection by multiple agents (1/10). Cyathostominae typhlocolitis showed marked mucosal thickening, with multifocal elevated nodules containing tangled filiform parasites. Microscopic examination revealed that the mucosa and submucosa had encysted parasitic structures surrounded by eosinophilic and granulomatous inflammation. E. leuckarti enteritis was microscopically characterized by macrogamonts, microgamonts, and oocysts inside the host cells. S. westeri enteritis showed microscopic atrophy of the villi with numerous mucosal encysted parasitic structures. B. coli typhlocolitis showed severe diffuse mucosal reddening, with microscopic superficial mucosal necrosis associated with multiple protozoan trophozoites. Fatal parasite-induced enteritis and typhlocolitis are important causes of death in horses in Southern Brazil.

Resumo Doenças relacionadas ao sistema alimentar são as principais causas de morte em equinos. Esse estudo teve o objetivo de descrever aspectos patológicos de enterites e tiflocolites parasitárias fatais por ciatostomíneos, Eimeria leuckarti, Balantidium coli e Strongyloides westeri, em equinos. Foi revisado o banco de dados de lesões intestinais parasitárias em equinos necropsiados de 2005 a 2017, no Sul do Brasil. Dez equinos apresentaram enterite e/ou tiflocolite parasitária fatal, e as principais foram: tiflocolite por ciatostomíneos (6/10), enterite por E. leuckarti (1/10), enterite por S. westeri (1/10), colite por B. coli com ciatostomíneos (1/10), e infecção por múltiplos agentes (1/10). A tiflocolite por ciatostomíneos exibia acentuado espessamento da mucosa, com nódulos multifocais elevados contendo parasitas filiformes. Microscopicamente, a mucosa e submucosa apresentavam estruturas parasitárias encistadas envoltas por inflamação eosinofílica e granulomatosa. A enterite por E. leuckarti era caracterizada microscopicamente por macrogamontes, microgamontes e oocistos no interior de células do hospedeiro. Microscopicamente, a enterite por S. westeri apresentava atrofia de vilosidades com numerosas estruturas parasitárias encistadas na mucosa. A tiflocolite por B. coli exibia avermelhamento acentuado difuso da mucosa, e microscopicamente necrose superficial associada a múltiplos trofozoítos protozoáricos. Enterites e tiflocolites fatais parasitárias são importantes causas de morte em equinos no Sul do Brasil.

Studies on diarrhea in equine associated with Clostridiun difficile and Clostridium perfringens infection

Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfingens play a significant role in diarrhea affecting equini. This study was designed to determine the role of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfingens in equine diarhhea, 380 animals were examined clicically, where 65 were suffering from diarrhea. Fecal samples were collected from diarrheic animals, and 10 samples from apparently healthy animals. Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfingens were isolated from 19 and 11 samples respectively, while the two bacteria were isolated from 5 samples simultaneously. Moreover 4 samples from apparent clinical healthy animals had Clostridium difficile infection, indicating the high prevelance of these organisms in equine. Toxins of Clostridium difficile wasn't detected in diarrheic samples or culture of Clostridium isolates by ELISA and PCR-technique, while alpha and beta2 toxins of clostridium perfingens were detected in culture of clostridium

Trypanosoma evansi control and horse mortality in the Brazilian Pantanal

The impact of three treatment strategies for Trypanosoma evansi control on horse mortality in the Brazilian Pantanal based on four size categories of cattle ranches is explored. The region's 49,000 horses are indispensable to traditional extensive cattle ranching and T. evansi kills horses. About 13 percent of these horses would be lost, annually, due to T. evansi if no control were undertaken. One preventive and two curative treatment strategies are financially justifiable in the Pantanal. The best available technology for the treatment of T. evansi from a horse mortality perspective is the preventive strategy, which spares 6,462 horses, annually. The year-round cure spares 5,783 horses, and the seasonal cure saves 5,204 horses on a regional basis relative to no control strategy. Regardless of the strategy adopted, 39 percent of the costs or benefits fall to the largest ranches, while 18 percent fall to the smallest ranches