Sontigun, Narin

Preferred name

Sontigun, Narin

Main Affiliation

School of Agricultural Technology

narin.so@kmitl.ac.th

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Prevalence of gastrointestinal and blood parasites in horses of Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand
(2024-11-01)
Phetkarl, Tanakorn
;
Fungwithaya, Punpichaya
;
Lewchalermvong, Kittima
;
Sontigun, Narin
Background and Aim: The global prevalence of gastrointestinal (GI) and blood parasite infections in horses is a significant concern due to their substantial impact on morbidity, mortality, and economic losses in the horse industry. In Thailand, limited research has been conducted on these parasites in horse populations, and data from southern Thailand are lacking. Consequently, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GI and blood parasites in horses in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. Materials and Methods: In total, 79 fecal and blood samples were collected from horses across 11 farms in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The fecal examination was conducted using simple flotation, formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation, and a modified McMaster technique. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify blood and strongyle parasites. The influence of sex, age, and body condition score on the prevalence of GI parasites was also analyzed. Results: Six GI parasites were detected: four nematodes (Oxyuris equi, Parascaris equorum, strongyles, and Strongyloides westeri), one trematode (Gastrodiscus aegyptiacus), and one protozoan (Eimeria leuckarti). The overall prevalence of GI parasites was 74.7%, with single strongyle infections accounting for the highest proportion at 50.6%, followed by co-infections of strongyles and G. aegyptiacus at 10.1%. All 11 pooled strongyle samples were positive for cyathostomins and Strongylus vulgaris using conventional PCR with specific primers. Sex was significantly associated with the overall prevalence of GI parasites, whereas both sex and age were significant risk factors for infection by strongyle parasites. Theileria equi was the only blood parasite species detected in the surveyed horses, with a prevalence of 1.3% (n = 1/79). Conclusion: This study is the first to estimate the prevalence of GI and blood parasites in horses from Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Thailand. These findings highlight the importance of implementing control measures against GI parasites and are pivotal for developing effective infection prevention strategies.
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Preliminary study on prevalence of hemoprotozoan parasites harbored by Stomoxys (Diptera: Muscidae) and tabanid flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) in horse farms in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, Southern Thailand
(2023-01-01)
Phetkarl, Tanakorn
;
Fungwithaya, Punpichaya
;
Udompornprasith, Supak
;
Amendt, Jens
;
Sontigun, Narin
Background and Aim: Stomoxys and tabanid flies are of medical and veterinary importance because they play crucial roles in disease transmission as mechanical vectors of various hemopathogens. However, its role as a hemoprotozoan parasite vector in horse farms has not been studied. Therefore, we investigated the occurrence of hemoprotozoan parasites belonging to the genera Babesia, Theileria, and Trypanosoma in Stomoxys and tabanid flies using conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. Materials and Methods: All samples (Stomoxys and tabanid flies) were collected using an Nzi trap for three consecutive days each month from November 2022 to March 2023. The flies were morphologically identified to the species level and separated according to sex. Individual (for tabanid flies) or pooled samples (consisting of three specimens of Stomoxys flies of the same species and sex collected from the same site) were used for DNA extraction. Conventional PCR was used to screen for hemoprotozoan parasite DNA, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify the species. Results: In total, 189 biting flies were collected, including four species of Stomoxys (Stomoxys bengalensis, Stomoxys calcitrans, Stomoxys indicus, and Stomoxys sitiens) and five species of tabanids (Atylotus cryptotaxis, Chrysops dispar, Tabanus megalops, Tabanus mesogaeus, and Tabanus rubidus). Stomoxys calcitrans was the most prevalent species, accounting for 58.7% (n = 111) of the collected flies. Ten (12.4%) of the 81 samples (individuals and pools) analyzed by PCR were positive for the 18S rRNA gene of the Theileria/Babesia species. Trypanosoma DNA was not detected in any sample. After performing Basic Local Alignment Search Tool searches and a phylogenetic analysis, only six samples (7.4%), including S. calcitrans (n = 2), S. sitiens (n = 2), T. megalops (n = 1), and A. cryptotaxis (n = 1), were found to be infected with Theileria sinensis. Furthermore, apicomplexan parasites, namely, Mattesia spp. and Colpodella spp., were found on S. indicus, the fungus Meira spp. was found on S. calcitrans, and the pathogenic green alga Helicosporidium spp. was found on A. cryptotaxis. Conclusion: This study is the first to report a variety of Stomoxys and tabanid flies collected from horse farms in Thailand, which were found to be infected with Theileria and Colpodella species that affect mammals, suggesting that Stomoxys and tabanid flies can be used to confirm the presence of hemoprotozoan parasites in the study area. Understanding the presence of hemoprotozoa in flies could help design vector control programs and manage various diseases in the study area.
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Age-related comparative study of C-reactive protein, lipid profile biomarkers, and strongyle nematode gastrointestinal parasitic burden in horses
(2026-10-01)
Phetkarl, Tanakorn
;
Sontigun, Narin
;
Boonchuay, Kanpapat
;
Sansamur, Chalutwan
;
Semmarath, Warathit
Background Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitic infection remains one of the most prevalent and economically significant health challenges in equine populations. The infective stages of GI parasites can activate systemic inflammatory responses and disrupt lipid metabolism leading to exacerbation of parasitic infection. Moreover, age-related low-grade chronic inflammation may further contribute to the persistent infection which impacts the health status of individual horses. Aims/Objective This study examined serum levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and lipid profile parameters to identify age-related patterns in horses in the high prevalence area of GI parasitic infection in Southern Thailand. Methods Seventy-seven horses were categorized into four age groups: foal (<1 year); young (1–3.99 years); early adult (4–10 years); and late adult (>10 years) and were examined for fecal helminth eggs and fecal egg count (EPG) using a modified McMaster technique. The serum CRP, and lipid profile parameters including total cholesterol (TC), total triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), LDL: HDL, and TC:HDL ratios were determined. Results Strongyle nematodes, including cyathostomins and Strongylus vulgaris were detected with the prevalence >60% of horses across all age groups. CRP, TC, and LDL-C levels increased significantly with age (p < 0.01), while HDL-C levels significantly declined in the late adult group when compared with other age groups (p = 0.0037). Among all age groups of horses, Spearman correlation (ρ) and binary logistic regression (odd ratio: OR [95%CI]) revealed that serum CRP, and LDL-C levels were positively associated with the EPG of strongyle nematode helminths. While HDL-C levels showed negative correlation. CRP, LDL: HDL, and TC:HDL ratios were identified as the risk factors for strongyle nematode GI infection. Using the ROC analysis, the cut-off values of CRP (>0.49 mg/L; %sensitivity [SS] = 72.97, %specificity [SP] =75.00), LDL: HDL (>2.476; %SS=64.29, %SP=71.43), and TC: HDL (>5.198; %SS=51.22, %SP=83.33%) could help predict the strongyle nematode GI parasitic infection in horses. Conclusions These findings highlight the diagnostic potential of CRP and cholesterol index as the prognostic biomarkers and disease monitoring in equine strongyle nematode infection to provide the proper management and intervention to current parasite management strategies.
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Sontigun, Narin

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