Gastrointestinal helminths detected in wild horses in Konya Province, Turkey

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.