Parafilaria multipapillosa
Encyclopedia
Parafilaria multipapillosa (syn. Filaria haemorrhagica) is a parasitic nematode
of the genus Parafilaria, which affects horses causing hemorrhagic subcutaneous nodules in the head and upper forelimbs, in North Africa
, Southern
and Eastern Europe
, Asia and South America, leading to bleeding from the skin. It is commonly referred to as "Summer bleeding".
The nematode is thought to be passed by blood-sucking Haematobia
spp [biting flies] in spring and summer. It causes skin nodules, particularly on the head and upper forequarters, which often bleed profusely (“summer bleeding") but then usually resolve, though occasionally suppurating. The nodules and bleeding, though annoying and unsightly are generally are of little consequence. The clinical signs are pathognomonic
. No effective treatment is available.
s, apparently infected with a tiny worm causing them to "sweat blood" from skin sores:
P. multipapillosa is thought to have been the cause of the "blood-sweating" of these famous and much desired horses from Ferghana, which Emperor Wu of Han China
(Wudi) renamed "Heavenly Horses" (c. 113 BCE). He sent an army of 40,000 men in 104 BCE the 5,000 km to Ferghana, but they were defeated. Another army of 60,000 men was sent in 103 BCE and they managed to negotiate the acquisition of 3,000 horses (though only a few dozen were top class and only 1,000 made it all the way back to China in 101 BCE). However, they did also get an agreement that Ferghana would send two Heavenly horses each year to the Emperor, and lucerne
seed was brought back to China providing superior pasture for breeding raising fine horses in China, to provide cavalry which could cope with the Xiongnu
who threatened China.
Nematode
The nematodes or roundworms are the most diverse phylum of pseudocoelomates, and one of the most diverse of all animals. Nematode species are very difficult to distinguish; over 28,000 have been described, of which over 16,000 are parasitic. It has been estimated that the total number of nematode...
of the genus Parafilaria, which affects horses causing hemorrhagic subcutaneous nodules in the head and upper forelimbs, in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Southern
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
, Asia and South America, leading to bleeding from the skin. It is commonly referred to as "Summer bleeding".
Description
P. multipapillosa is related to Parafilaria antipini which are found in deer, and Parafilaria bovicola which causes hemorrhagic nodules in the skin of cattle and buffalo.The nematode is thought to be passed by blood-sucking Haematobia
Haematobia
Haematobia is a genus of biting true flies of the family Muscidae. -Species:*H. exigua de Meijere, 1906*H. irritans *H. spinigera Malloch, 1932...
spp [biting flies] in spring and summer. It causes skin nodules, particularly on the head and upper forequarters, which often bleed profusely (“summer bleeding") but then usually resolve, though occasionally suppurating. The nodules and bleeding, though annoying and unsightly are generally are of little consequence. The clinical signs are pathognomonic
Pathognomonic
Pathognomonic is a term, often used in medicine, that means characteristic for a particular disease. A pathognomonic sign is a particular sign whose presence means that a particular disease is present beyond any doubt...
. No effective treatment is available.
'“Modern researchers, [Professor Victor] MairVictor H. MairVictor Henry Mair is a Philologist specializing in Sinitic and Indo-European languages, and holds the position of Professor of Chinese Language and Literature in the Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States...
notes, have come up with two different ideas [for the ancient Chinese references to the “Blood-sweating” horses of Ferghana]. The first suggests that small subcutaneous blood vessels burst as the horses sustained a long hard gallop. The second theorizes that a parasitic nematode, Parafilaria multipapillosa, triggered the phenomenon. P. multipapillosa is widely distributed across the Russian steppes and makes its living by burrowing into the subcutaneous tissues of horses. The resulting skin nodules bleed often, sometimes copiously, giving rise to a something veterinarians call “summer bleeding.”
Ancient history
Over 2,100 years ago two Chinese armies traveled 10,000 km to find "Heavenly Horses" or Ferghana horseFerghana horse
Ferghana horses were one of China's earliest major imports, originating in an area in Central Asia. These horses, as depicted in Tang Dynasty pottery representations of them, "resemble the animals on the golden medal of Eucratides, King of Bactria ."-Ancient history:Dayuan, north of Bactria, was...
s, apparently infected with a tiny worm causing them to "sweat blood" from skin sores:
"Sometime earlier the emperor [ WudiEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
] had divined by the Book of Changes and been told that "divine horses are due to appear" from the northwest". When the WusunWusunThe Wūsūn were a nomadic steppe people who, according to the Chinese histories, originally lived in western Gansu in northwest China west of the Yuezhi people...
came with their horses, which were of an excellent breed, he named them "heavenly horses". Later, however, he obtained the blood-sweating horses from Dayuan [= Ferghana], which were even hardier. He therefore changed the name of the Wusun horses, calling them "horses from the western extremity", and used the name "heavenly horses" for the horses of Dayuan."
P. multipapillosa is thought to have been the cause of the "blood-sweating" of these famous and much desired horses from Ferghana, which Emperor Wu of Han China
Emperor Wu of Han
Emperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
(Wudi) renamed "Heavenly Horses" (c. 113 BCE). He sent an army of 40,000 men in 104 BCE the 5,000 km to Ferghana, but they were defeated. Another army of 60,000 men was sent in 103 BCE and they managed to negotiate the acquisition of 3,000 horses (though only a few dozen were top class and only 1,000 made it all the way back to China in 101 BCE). However, they did also get an agreement that Ferghana would send two Heavenly horses each year to the Emperor, and lucerne
Alfalfa
Alfalfa is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop in the US, Canada, Argentina, France, Australia, the Middle East, South Africa, and many other countries. It is known as lucerne in the UK, France, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, and known as...
seed was brought back to China providing superior pasture for breeding raising fine horses in China, to provide cavalry which could cope with the Xiongnu
Xiongnu
The Xiongnu were ancient nomadic-based people that formed a state or confederation north of the agriculture-based empire of the Han Dynasty. Most of the information on the Xiongnu comes from Chinese sources...
who threatened China.
External links
- "The Emperor and the Parasite." By Heather Pringle | March 3, 2011 at: The Emperor and the Parasite. The Last Word On Nothing (2011-03-03). Retrieved on 2011-03-17. Accessed 9th March 2011.
- "Parafilaria multipapillosa." The Merck Veterinary ManualMerck Veterinary ManualThe Merck Veterinary Manual is a reference manual of animal health care. It is published by Merck & Co., Inc. and Merial Limited. The Merck Veterinary Manual is available as a reference manual or as an online resource for veterinarians, veterinary students, and others involved in animal health...
(2008) at Merck Veterinary Manual. Merckvetmanual.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-17. Accessed 9th March 2011. - "Parafilaria" at Parafilaria multipapillosa (syn. Filaria haemorrhagica) – definition of Parafilaria multipapillosa (syn. Filaria haemorrhagica) in the Medical dictionary – by the Free Online Medical Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia. Medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved on 2011-03-17.