Gastrointestinal helminths in horses in Serbia and various factors affecting the prevalence

The aim of this study was an epizootiological screening and determination of parasitological state of horses in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. In the period from April 2017 to December 2018, parasitological examination of 548 samples from horses of different breed, age and sex from four regions and 18 districts of the country was performed. Coprological diagnostic was done by using qualitative methods without concentration and qualitative methods with concentration of parasitic elements. Quantification of obtained results was performed using semi-qualitative faecal egg count. Four helminthoses were detected in the examined samples: P. equorum (8.57%), O. equi (3.65%), strongylid eggs (71.17%) and Anoplocephala spp. (0.91%). The total prevalence of helminthoses was 77.19%. Monoinfections were significantly more present 70.07% compared to coinfections (7.12%). Obtained results are of great contribution to clinical parasitology and pathology, especially from the aspect of animal health, welfare and preservation of horse population.