Epidemiology of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in foals on a stud farm in south-western Sweden.

The egg output and humoral antibody response to scolex antigens of the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata were monitored in naturally infected foals by an egg flotation/centrifugation method and an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study was performed on a stud farm in south-western Sweden between May 1994 and April 1995. Sequential blood and faecal samples were taken from 21 foals during their first summer on pasture and until tapeworm eggs were detected. Results were expressed separately for 10 and 11 foals born before and after the end of April 1994, respectively. Increased levels of antibodies were noticed from October and onwards in both groups whereas tapeworm eggs were detected in the faeces of all foals about 4 months later. The antibody response was similar in both groups but it was more pronounced in foals born before April 1994. All foals were treated in March 1995 with an oral paste formulation of pyrantel pamoate at a dose rate of 38 mg/kg bodyweight. Most animals responded to the anthelmintic treatment and one month later, tapeworm eggs were only detected in one out of the 18 foals examined one month after treatment. Thus, the treatment reduced the number of A. perfoliata egg positive horses by 94%. A concomitant decline in antibody levels was also observed. Western immunoblot analysis of sequential individual serum samples showed that at least 10 different scolex antigens in the molecular weight range 10-200 kDa were recognised. Banding intensities, especially of the 10 kDa, 45 kDa and 66 kDa proteins were different in the sequential sera taken during the course of infection.