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Ostertagia ostertagi
Synonym(s): Stomach worm, Brown stomach worm
Introduction
Classification
Taxonomy
- Family: Trichostrongyloidea.
- Phylum: Nematoda.
- Genus: Ostertagia.
- Species: ostertagi.
Etymology
- Ostertagia ostertagi is one of the most important gastrointestinal parasites in cattle with infections reported in cattle populations across the globe.
- Ostertagiosis is readily seen in temperate climates in various disease presentations and is occasionally seen in sub-tropical climates. Immunity is acquired over two grazing seasons, so disease is primarily seen in youngstock.
- Specifically, a parasite of cattle and buffalos. Occasionally goats and deer. A related parasite, Telodorsagia circumcincta, infects and can cause disease in sheep.
Distribution
- Global distribution within temperate regions where cattle are present; much less common in tropical and sub-tropical climates.
- Cosmopolitan species in temperate cattle grazing systems.
- Seasonal pattern in the UK related to ambient temperatures that determine development times, and rainfall, which facilitates translocation from the feces to the surrounding herbage. Encysted stages can hypobiose for 2-6 months Influence of environmental factors, grazing habits and husbandry practices result in specific clinical presentations (current seasonal pattern for UK):
- Type I ostertagiosis: July- September, typically in calves in their first grazing season.
- Type II ostertagiosis: March to May from emergence of L4 stages, ingested the previous autumn, from gastric glands within the abomasum.
Significance
- Ostertagiosis is considered of high economic importance to cattle industries across the world, where suitable climatic and susceptible animals are present, with respect to production losses.
- The largest losses result from a reduction in appetite and food intake in cattle, even with subclinical infections: this alone can account for ~67% of reduced production.
- Mainly metabolic and nutritional costs, due to the extent of damage to the gastrointestinal system during infection, can result in poor growth rates.
- Primarily associated with increased demand on protein production due to protein loss into the gastro-intestinal system associated with emergence of L4 stages in the abomasum.
- Also associated with demand on generating immune responses to O. ostertagi infection.
- Presence of mixed infections, primarily Cooperia oncophora Cooperia oncophora and also Trichostrongylus axei Trichostrongylus axei, may also exacerbate disease consequences.
- Treatment costs: use of anthelmintics is likely to be necessary in clinical outbreaks and some control strategies.
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Resting Forms
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Clinical Effects
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Diagnosis
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Berk Z, Bishop S C, Forbes A B & Kyriazakis I (2016) A simulation model to investigate interactions between first season grazing calves and Ostertagia ostertagi. Vet Parasitol 226, 198–209.
- Charlier J, De Waele V, Ducheyne E, van der Voort M, Vande Velde F et al (2015) Decision making on helminths in cattle: diagnostics, economics and human behaviour. Ir Vet J 69, 14.
- Crilly J P & Sargison N (2015) Ruminant coprological examination: beyond the McMaster slide. In Pract 37, 68–76.
- Mihi B, van Meulder F, Vancoppernolle S, Rinaldi M, Chiers K et al (2014) Analysis of the mucosal immune responses induced by single and trickle infections with the bovine abomasal nematode Ostertagia ostertagi. Parasite Immunol 36, 150–156.
- Delafosse A (2013) The association between Ostertagia ostertagi antibodies in bulk tank milk samples and parameters linked to cattle reproduction and mortality. Vet Parasitol 197, 212–220.
- Knox M R, Besier R B, Le Jambre L F, Kaplan R M, Torres-Acosta J F J et al (2012) Novel approaches for the control of helminth parasites of livestock VI: Summary of discussions and conclusions. Vet Parasitol 186, 143–149.
- Charlier J, Höglund J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Dorny P & Vercruysse J (2009) Gastrointestinal nematode infections in adult dairy cattle: Impact on production, diagnosis and control. Vet Parasitol 164, 70–79.
- Claerebout E & Vercruysse J (2000) The immune response and the evaluation of acquired immunity against gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle: a review. Parasitology 120 Suppl: S25-42.
- Burden D J, Hughes D L, Hammet N C & Collis K A (1978) Concurrent daily infection of calves with Fasciola hepatica and Ostertagia ostertagi. Research in Veterinary Science 25 (3), 302–6.
Other sources of information
- Taylor M A (2013) COWS technical manual for veterinary surgeons and advisors. [online] Available at: http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk.
- Scott P R, Penny C D & Macrae I M (2011) Cattle Medicine. 1st edn. Manson Publishing, UK.