Morphological identification of parasitic nematode infective larvae of small ruminants and cattle : a practical lab guide

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Authors

Van Wyk, Jan Aucamp
Mayhew, Estelle

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AOSIS Open Journals

Abstract

In 2004, a new concept was introduced for simplifying identification of larvae of the common nematodes of cattle, sheep and goats that comprises estimates of the lengths of the sheath tail extensions of infective third-stage larvae (L3) of each genus and/or species to that of Trichostrongylus spp., instead of having to be dependent only on measurements in micrometre. For example, if the mean length of the sheath tail extension (the extension of the sheath caudad, beyond the caudal tip of the larva) of Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Trichostrongylus axei is assumed to be ‘X’, then that of Haemonchus contortus is 2.0–2.7 ‘X’ – a difference that is not difficult to estimate. An additional new approach suggested now, particularly for L3 of species and/or genera difficult to differentiate (such as Chabertia ovina and Oesophagostomum columbianum), is to estimate the proportion of the larval sheath tail extension comprising a terminal thin, whip-like filament. For the experienced person, it is seldom necessary to measure more than one or two sheath tail extensions of L3 in a mixed culture, because the identity of most of the remaining L3 can thereafter be estimated in relation to those measured, without having to take further measurements. The aim of this article was to present the novel approach in the form of a working guide for routine use in the laboratory. To facilitate identification, figures and a separate organogram for each of small ruminants and cattle have been added to illustrate the distinguishing features of the common L3.

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J.A.v.W. (University of Pretoria) was responsible for developing the novel approach to morphological identification of infective larvae of the common gastrointestinal nematode genera of small ruminants and cattle and wrote the manuscript. E.M. (University of Pretoria) was responsible for all the art work and finishing of the article.

Keywords

Cattle, Parasitic nematode infective larvae, Small ruminants

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Citation

Van Wyk, J.A. & Mayhew, E., 2013, ‘Morphological identification of parasitic nematode infective larvae of small ruminants and cattle: A practical lab guide’, Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 80(1), Art. #539, 14 pages. http://dx.DOI.org/ 10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.539