Habronema muscae

Habronema muscae
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Nematoda
Class:	Chromadorea
Order:	Rhabditida
Family:	Habronematidae
Genus:	Habronema
Species:	H. muscae
Binomial name
	Habronema muscae; Carter, 1861

Habronema muscae is an internal

parasite that is most commonly found in horses. It is the most common cause of cutaneous ulcerative granulomas in the horse. It is in genus Habronema

.

Life cycle

Eggs

The

eggs within the horse's stomach. The eggs are later excreted through the feces. The eggs hatch out within the feces producing first stage larvae.^[1]

Larvae

After the eggs have hatched in the feces, the

abscesses around where they embed in the lung tissue.^[1]

Adults

When the larvae are licked and swallowed by the horse during grooming they travel to the stomach and embed themselves into the glandular part of the stomach close to the margo plicatus. A thick mucus is excreted by the stomach lining. The larvae mature into adults and females produce eggs to complete the life cycle.[1] Larvae that invade skin or eye tissue do not develop into adults.

Morphology: Adult has two lateral lips, dorsal and ventral lips may also be present. Buccal capsule cylindrical, chitinous. Oesophagous is divided into two parts, a short anterior muscular and long posterior glandular portion, intestine simple without any diverticula. Male:

spicules unequal, gubernaculum present and bears 4 pairs of preanal, 1 pair adanal and 2 pairs of postanal pedunculated papillae, 3 pairs of sessile papillae also present, tail spirally twisted.^[2]

Treatment

For most horses, the lesions will resolve by the end of summer. Topical or systemic treatment with Ivermectin is effective against Habronemiasis. Ivermectin or moxidectin can eliminate nematodes in the stomach. Glucocorticoids or antihistamines may be necessary to control inflammation, tissue proliferation, hypersensitivity, or pruritus. Surgical excision may be required to remove large masses.^[3]

Prevention

Prevention is primarily through regular deworming of the horse and good fly control systems, especially removal of manure. Environmental sprays and clean bedding also help.^[3]

References

^
ISBN 978-0-521-23299-9
.

^ A colour Atlas of Equine Parasites D.E. Jacobs 1986 Balliere Tindall London
^ ^a ^b "Summer Sores | AAEP". aaep.org. Retrieved 2019-09-05.

[Hewitt-1] 
ISBN 978-0-521-23299-9
.

[2] A colour Atlas of Equine Parasites D.E. Jacobs 1986 Balliere Tindall London

[:0-3] "Summer Sores | AAEP". aaep.org. Retrieved 2019-09-05.

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