title: Lower shedding of strongylid eggs by Warmblood horses with recurrent airway obstruction compared to unrelated healthy horses.
abstract: An association between equine recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) and increased resistance to intestinal parasites has been demonstrated in descendants of an RAO-affected stallion. It was hypothesised that members of another high-incidence RAO family (F) and unrelated RAO-affected Warmblood horses (UA) would shed fewer strongylid eggs than unrelated RAO-unaffected pasture mates (PM) under the same environmental conditions. Faecal worm egg counts were performed on faecal samples (63 F, 86 UA, 149 PM) and classified into three categories: 0, 1-100 and >100 eggs per gram. While results for F did not differ from PM, UA were 2.5-times less likely to shed strongylid eggs than PM. RAO-affected Warmblood horses may be more resistant to strongylid nematodes than unrelated unaffected pasture mates and a family history of RAO does not necessarily confer protection against helminth infections.
authors.affiliation: Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 124, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bründler
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Paraclinical Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 122, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Frey
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, Paraclinical Department, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 122, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gottstein
authors.affiliation: Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 124, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nussbaumer
authors.affiliation: Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 124, 3001 Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Neuhaus
authors.affiliation: Equine Clinic, Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggassstr. 124, 3001 Berne, Switzerland. Electronic address: vinzenz.gerber@knp.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerber
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D060467:Disease Resistance; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary*; D012008:Recurrence; D013319:Strongyle Infections, Equine / Q000150:complications / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*