Hyostrongylus rubidis

HYOSTRONGYLUS RUBIDIS

H. rubidis is very similar to Ostertagia (which does not occur in pigs) in appearance, life-cycle, epidemiology and pathogenesis, but pigs do not develop any useful immunity.

  • a typical trichostrongyloid
  • found on the glandular part of the stomach
  • seen only in outdoor pigs (as its fecundity is too low to maintain its life-cycle when faeces are regularly removed from buildings)
  • was becoming rare in the UK but likely to increase in prevalence with the trend towards free-range husbandry
  • can cause severe weight loss and even death in lactating sows.