Natural infection with Eimeria leuckarti: prevalence of oocysts in feces of horse foals on several farms in Kentucky during 1986.
During 1986, fecal specimens were collected 1 or more times from each of 164 horse foals (158 Thoroughbred and 6 mixed light horse type), ranging in age from 0 to 252 days, on 13 farms in central Kentucky. To detect natural infection with Eimeria leuckarti, feces were examined for oocysts. Oocysts were found in 67 (41%) of the foals on 11 (85%) of the farms. The earliest age at which oocysts were first detected was 15 days (1 foal); the latest age was 123 days (1 foal). The mean age for the first appearance of oocysts in the feces of the 67 foals positive for E leuckarti was approximately 70 days. Age of the oldest foal that passed oocysts was 185 days. The longest oocyst shedding period was about 4 months, although oocyst-positive feces usually were found only sporadically during this period.
Lyons
E T
ET
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546-0099.
Drudge
J H
JH
Tolliver
S C
SC
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D006736:Horses; D007629:Kentucky; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary