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. 2025 Jul 16;15(14):2094.
doi: 10.3390/ani15142094.

A Prevalence Study on Anoplocephala spp. in Serbian Horses: Navigating Diagnostic Challenges and Understanding Infection Risks

Tijana Kukurić  1 , Mihajlo Erdeljan  1 , Jacqueline B Matthews  2 , Kirsty L Lightbody  2 , Corrine J Austin  2 , Natalia Peczak  2 , Aleksandra Uzelac  3 , Ivana Klun  3 , Stanislav Simin  1
Affiliations

A Prevalence Study on Anoplocephala spp. in Serbian Horses: Navigating Diagnostic Challenges and Understanding Infection Risks

Tijana Kukurić et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Anoplocephala spp. are common equine tapeworm species in Europe, frequently found in grazing horses. Anoplocephala perfoliata is the most pathogenic, clinically significant species associated with gastrointestinal disorders, particularly colic, and can have a fatal outcome in some horses. The aim of this study was to determine the infection prevalence of Anoplocephala spp. in Serbia and to identify relevant risk factors. A total of 173 horses from various regions were tested using a combination of diagnostic methods: coprological analysis via combined sedimentation-flotation and the Mini-FLOTAC technique, as well as serological testing using a commercial ELISA test. The overall prevalence was 38.7%, with a higher number of positive cases being identified by serology. It was demonstrated that coprology and serology are complementary approaches for prevalence studies. Infection risk factors included high stocking density, free-roaming status and co-infection with nematodes, while lower rainfall and temperate climate were associated with reduced risk of tapeworm infection. These findings highlight the challenges of Anoplocephala spp. detection and provide insight into the epidemiology of equine tapeworm infection in Southeastern Europe.

Keywords: Serbia; coprology; equine; risk factors; serology; tapeworm.

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Conflict of interest statement

The non-UK-based authors (T.K., M.E., S.S., I.K., A.U.) declare that they have no competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. J.M., K.L., C.A. and N.P. are employees of Austin Davis Biologics Ltd., the commercial service provider of the serum tapeworm diagnostics used in this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of Serbia showing municipal districts (numbered) and sampling locations (open circles). Territorial divisions into three regions: Northern Serbia, central and southeastern Serbia and western Serbia, based on climate and humidity, are represented by thick black lines. The municipal districts are coloured based on the findings: light grey (negative by serology and coprology: 2, 12, 13), grey (positive by coprology: 1, 4, 7), dark grey (positive by serology: 3, 5, 8, 9, 10) and black (positive by both methods: 6, 11, 14, 15). White represents districts from which the samples were not collected.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of tapeworm egg counts (sedimentation–flotation) in n = 19 horses.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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