Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China

Gastrointestinal parasitic diseases pose significant health risks to equine populations. This study investigated the epidemiological patterns of equine gastrointestinal parasites in Xinjiang by analyzing 83 fecal samples collected from Ili (<i>n</i> = 62) and Urumqi (<i>n</i>...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yabin Lu, Penghui Ru, Sinan Qin, Yukun Zhang, Enning Fu, Mingyue Cai, Nuermaimaiti Tuohuti, Hui Wu, Yi Zhang, Yang Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Veterinary Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/644
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849251882968547328
author Yabin Lu
Penghui Ru
Sinan Qin
Yukun Zhang
Enning Fu
Mingyue Cai
Nuermaimaiti Tuohuti
Hui Wu
Yi Zhang
Yang Zhang
author_facet Yabin Lu
Penghui Ru
Sinan Qin
Yukun Zhang
Enning Fu
Mingyue Cai
Nuermaimaiti Tuohuti
Hui Wu
Yi Zhang
Yang Zhang
author_sort Yabin Lu
collection DOAJ
description Gastrointestinal parasitic diseases pose significant health risks to equine populations. This study investigated the epidemiological patterns of equine gastrointestinal parasites in Xinjiang by analyzing 83 fecal samples collected from Ili (<i>n</i> = 62) and Urumqi (<i>n</i> = 21) between August and November 2024. The modified McMaster technique was employed to quantify fecal egg counts (EPG) and was complemented by morphological identification to assess infection dynamics related to geography, breed specificity, and management practices. The results demonstrated an overall infection prevalence of 66.3% (55/83), with strongyles, <i>Parascaris equorum</i>, and <i>Eimeria</i> oocysts being present. Significant geographical variation was observed, with Ili exhibiting a higher prevalence (74.2%) compared to Urumqi (42.9%). Breed susceptibility analysis revealed that there was a 94.1% prevalence in Yili horses versus 42.9% in Kazakh horses. Pasture-managed herds showed markedly higher infection rates (94.1%) than stable-based systems (50.0%). Parasite community composition was dominated by strongyles (82.1%), followed by <i>Triodontophorus</i> spp. (27.7%) and <i>P. equorum</i> (2.4%). These findings highlight severe parasitic infection risks in Xinjiang’s grazing equids, underscoring the urgency of implementing targeted anthelmintic protocols to mitigate disease transmission.
format Article
id doaj-art-b15dd43bf19c4ad6b4f9b4b22870c2db
institution Kabale University
issn 2306-7381
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Veterinary Sciences
spelling doaj-art-b15dd43bf19c4ad6b4f9b4b22870c2db2025-08-20T03:56:47ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812025-07-0112764410.3390/vetsci12070644Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, ChinaYabin Lu0Penghui Ru1Sinan Qin2Yukun Zhang3Enning Fu4Mingyue Cai5Nuermaimaiti Tuohuti6Hui Wu7Yi Zhang8Yang Zhang9College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaXinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Center, Urumqi 830000, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, ChinaGastrointestinal parasitic diseases pose significant health risks to equine populations. This study investigated the epidemiological patterns of equine gastrointestinal parasites in Xinjiang by analyzing 83 fecal samples collected from Ili (<i>n</i> = 62) and Urumqi (<i>n</i> = 21) between August and November 2024. The modified McMaster technique was employed to quantify fecal egg counts (EPG) and was complemented by morphological identification to assess infection dynamics related to geography, breed specificity, and management practices. The results demonstrated an overall infection prevalence of 66.3% (55/83), with strongyles, <i>Parascaris equorum</i>, and <i>Eimeria</i> oocysts being present. Significant geographical variation was observed, with Ili exhibiting a higher prevalence (74.2%) compared to Urumqi (42.9%). Breed susceptibility analysis revealed that there was a 94.1% prevalence in Yili horses versus 42.9% in Kazakh horses. Pasture-managed herds showed markedly higher infection rates (94.1%) than stable-based systems (50.0%). Parasite community composition was dominated by strongyles (82.1%), followed by <i>Triodontophorus</i> spp. (27.7%) and <i>P. equorum</i> (2.4%). These findings highlight severe parasitic infection risks in Xinjiang’s grazing equids, underscoring the urgency of implementing targeted anthelmintic protocols to mitigate disease transmission.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/644equine gastrointestinal nematodesstrongylidae prevalencepasture vs. stable managementXinjiang equine parasitology<i>Parascaris equorum</i><i>Eimeria</i>
spellingShingle Yabin Lu
Penghui Ru
Sinan Qin
Yukun Zhang
Enning Fu
Mingyue Cai
Nuermaimaiti Tuohuti
Hui Wu
Yi Zhang
Yang Zhang
Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
Veterinary Sciences
equine gastrointestinal nematodes
strongylidae prevalence
pasture vs. stable management
Xinjiang equine parasitology
<i>Parascaris equorum</i>
<i>Eimeria</i>
title Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
title_full Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
title_fullStr Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
title_full_unstemmed Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
title_short Epidemiological Patterns of Gastrointestinal Parasitic Infections in Equine Populations from Urumqi and Ili, Xinjiang, China
title_sort epidemiological patterns of gastrointestinal parasitic infections in equine populations from urumqi and ili xinjiang china
topic equine gastrointestinal nematodes
strongylidae prevalence
pasture vs. stable management
Xinjiang equine parasitology
<i>Parascaris equorum</i>
<i>Eimeria</i>
url https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/12/7/644
work_keys_str_mv AT yabinlu epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT penghuiru epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT sinanqin epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT yukunzhang epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT enningfu epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT mingyuecai epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT nuermaimaitituohuti epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT huiwu epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT yizhang epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina
AT yangzhang epidemiologicalpatternsofgastrointestinalparasiticinfectionsinequinepopulationsfromurumqiandilixinjiangchina