Background: It is important to understand the biology and health impact of parasites affecting horses in the Western highlands of Cameroon.
Aim: to evaluate the prevalence and intensity of infection of gastrointestinal helminths in these animals.
Materials and methods: A total of 894 horses (367 males and 527 females), and aged ≤1 to ≥7 years old were examined. A parasitological investigation of faeces was carried out using two techniques: concentration method of Full Born Willis (flotation in saturated solution of sodium chloride) and Mc Master Technique.
Results and conclusions: From the results the overall prevalence was 100%. Nine species of nematode (Parascaris equorum, Oxyuris equi, Habronema sp., Strongyloides westeri, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi, Trichostrongylus axei, Cyathostome sp., Triodontophorus sp., Strongylus sp.) were identified with the prevalence of 18.48%, 16.94%, 2.99%, 6.05%, 5.22%, 7.75%, 12.49%, 1.09%, and 22.26%, respectively, and one species of cestode (Anoplocephala magna) with a prevalence of 6.73%. Strongylus sp. had the highest mean intensity of infection (1270±942) in female horses. Poly-parasitic infections (92.28%) were more common than mono-parasitic infections (7.72%).
Keywords: Coprology; helminths; horses; intensity; parasites; prevalence.