Characterization of the inflammatory response to anthelmintic treatment in ponies naturally infected with cyathostomin parasites

Martin Krarup Nielsen, Alejandra Betancourt, Eugene T. Lyons, David W. Horohov, Stine Jacobsen

    15 Citationer (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Cyathostomins can cause a severe inflammation of equine large intestine characterized by substantial ventral edema and pronounced protein loss. Anthelmintic treatment of horses can result in a localized inflammatory response in the colonic mucosa of clinically normal horses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the systemic inflammatory response of ponies naturally infected with cyathostomins to single dose representatives of three anthelmintic drug classes, namely, oxibendazole, pyrantel pamoate, and moxidectin. Thirty ponies aged between 1 and 18 years of age were allocated to one of three anthelmintic treatments groups. Anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated using the fecal egg count reduction test performed weekly between 2 and 8 weeks post-treatment. Inflammatory responses were evaluated on days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 14 after treatment using hematology, measurement of the acute phase inflammatory markers serum amyloid A, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, and iron, and real-time PCR measurement of expression of the genes for interleukins 1-b and 10, tumor necrosis factor-a, and interferon-c. There were subtle inflammatory responses to treatment, but cytokine expression was significantly associated with the interaction term between treatment group and anthelmintic efficacy (P < 0.05). Of the acute phase markers, only fibrinogen associated with treatment group. The findings suggest that systemic inflammatory responses subsequent to anthelmintic treatment of cyathostomin infection are minimal. It is possible that this response is ‘buffered’ by anti-inflammatory products of the parasites and/or the anti-inflammatory effects of the macrocyclic lactones.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftThe Veterinary Journal
    Vol/bind198
    Udgave nummer2
    Sider (fra-til)457-462
    Antal sider6
    ISSN1090-0233
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 2013

    Emneord

    • Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet
    • Horse
    • Parasite
    • Veterinary medicine
    • Inflammation
    • Acute phase proteins
    • Serum amyloid A
    • Cytokines

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