Histopathological Study of Esophageal Infection with Gasterophilus pecorum (Diptera: Oestridae) in Persian Onager (Equus hemionus onager)

BACKGROUND: The larval stages of Gasterophilus are obligate parasites in the gastrointestinal tract of equine accountable for pathologic ulcers in the Persian onager gastrointestinal. The aim of the current report was to study the histopathological change with G. pecorum larvae in the esophagus of a Persian onager. METHODS: This study was performed in Iranian Zebra propagation and breeding site in Khartouran National Park, southeast of Shahrud City, Semnan Province, Iran in 2014. Following a necropsy with specific refer to esophagus of one adult female Persian onager were transmitted to the laboratory. After autopsy, parasites collected from the esophagus were transmitted into 70% alcohol. For histopathological investigation, tissue samples were collected from the esophagus. The tissues were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and conformity routine processing, there were stained with Hematoxylin and eosin. RESULTS: After clarity by lactophenol parasites were identified as G. pecorum. Microscopic recognition contained hyperemia, inflammatory cell infiltration, epithelial destruction, esophageal gland hyperplasia. CONCLUSION: This is the first survey of G. pecorum and histopathological study in the Persian onager esophagus in the world.