Equine Cutaneous Habronemiasis – NAVLE Study Guide
Overview and Clinical Importance
Cutaneous habronemiasis (also known as "summer sores," "bursatti," "swamp cancer," or "granular dermatitis") is a seasonally-occurring parasitic skin disease of equids caused by aberrant larval migration of spirurid stomach worms in the genera Habronema and Draschia. The condition represents a hypersensitivity reaction to larvae deposited by flies on wounds or moist body surfaces. Understanding this disease is essential for the NAVLE as it tests knowledge of parasitology, dermatology, and treatment protocols.
This condition is distributed worldwide, predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions, but also occurs in temperate climates during warm months. It causes significant economic losses in sport and working horses due to aesthetic concerns, performance impairment, and prolonged treatment requirements.
Etiology
Causative Agents
Three species of spirurid nematodes (Superfamily Habronematoidea) cause habronemiasis in equids:
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