Use of FAMACHA to Detect Anaemia and Control of Gastrointestinal Parasite in Goats of A and N Islands, India

Background: FAffaMAlanCHArt (FAMACHA) is a technique for treating the animals infested with gastrointestinal parasites by using clinical anaemia as the determinant. The test is based on the assessment of colour variation of the conjunctival mucous membrane. Methods: In the present study FAMACHA has been standardized and used to correlate the anaemic status of goats with faecal egg count (gastro intestinal parasites) and blood profile. On the basis of FAMACHA score and faecal egg count, the goats were treated with benzimidazole compound and macrocyclic lactone. Result: The result indicated significant (P less than 0.05) reduction in the faecal egg count of Haemonchus spp from 1200±155.76 to 525±75, Strongyloides spp from 469.57±77.37 to 78.26±33.83 and Eimeria spp from 900±240.05 to 195.65±55.34 respectively. FAMACHA score of anaemic goats improved from 4.08±0.11 to 3.2±0.13. Mean haemoglobin (g/dl), packed cell volume (PCV), red blood cell (RBC) and white blood cell (WBC) improved from 8.33 to 8.99, 22.66 to 24.86, 13.73 to 14.76 and 18029 to 19894, respectively which indicated clinical improvement. Highly significant (P less than 0.01) correlation was observed between the FAMACHA score and the haemoglobin level. It could be concluded that FAMACHA is a very handy tool to detect anaemic status of the animals and correlate with gastrointestinal parasitic load.

Anthelmintic Drugs Resistance of Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Naturally Infected Goats in Haramaya, Ethiopia

Gastrointestinal parasites and their anthelmintic resistance are major constraints to goat production in Ethiopia. Experimental investigation by faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and larval cultures were used to assess the occurrence of anthelmintic resistance in naturally infected goats with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in Haramaya, Ethiopia. One hundred goats with a minimum of 150 eggs per gram (EPG) count were selected and randomly divided into five groups; 20 goats in each group; four treated and one untreated group. The result of the faecal egg count reduction test percentage (FECRT%) and the lower 95% confidence limit showed the presence of anthelmintic resistance for all tested drugs except tetramisole. FECRT% and lower 95% confidence limit were 69.9% and 36.9 for albendazole, 84.3% and 66.1 for tetraclozan, 95.7% and 87.4 for tetramisole and 71.1% and 38.2 for ivermectin respectively. Trichostrongylus, Teladorsagia and Haemonchus showed anthelmintic resistance for tested drugs. Coproculture from different treatment group revealed Trichostrongylus (69.2% in ivermectin and 59.6% in albendazole) were the predominant nematode followed by Teladorsagia (21.9% in albendazole and 14.7% in ivermectin). In tetraclozan treatment group, Trichostrongylus (42%) and Teladorsagia (41.3%) were comparable, followed by Haemonchus (13%). In group treated with tetramisole, Teladorsagia (54.3%) were the most frequently detected nematode followed by Trichostrongylus (25.7%) and Haemonchus (11.4%). Therefore, this study demonstrated the presence of multi-drug resistant nematodes that may limit the productivity of goats. Moreover, further studies covering wider areas of Ethiopia and mechanisms of nematode resistance need to be studied in future.

Variation in helminth susceptibility of indigenous chickens in Kano and Jigawa States of Nigeria

This study was carried out to identify the helminth parasites and burden associated with five indigenous chicken strains namely normal feathered Fulani ecotypes, naked neck, dwarf and frizzle kept under free- range system in six local government areas of Kano and Jigawa States. A total of 540 fresh faecal samples were collected from the gastrointestinal tract. Faecal egg count (quantitative examination) was carried out using the modified McMaster technique with flotation solution. All the helminths (cestodes and nematodes) were examined under light microscope and identified on the basis of helminthological keys. Worm count, EPG, Packed cell volume (PCV), total serum proteins and albumin were used to assess chicken susceptibility to worm infection. Significant differences were observed among the chicken strains for egg per gramme (EPG), cestodes and nematodes. The highest EPG (119.80) was observed in naked neck chickens, followed by frizzled (114.18), dwarf (62.86), normal feathered (30.80) and Fulani ecotypes (0.71). Frizzled chickens had higher mean cestode (7.96) count than the other strains. Dwarf chickens were significantly (P<0.05) more susceptible to nematode infection. Higher EPG (60.55) and worm burden (cestode, 6.08) was found in males than females. The high gene flow and low differentiation between Fulani ecotype and normal feathered and, naked neck and frizzled buttressed the assertion that the similarity in EPG between them were because of genetic closeness. Susceptibility to worm infection in the study measured by the prevalence and EPG was therefore genetically controlled. There were generally negative and low correlations between egg and adult worm counts with haematological indices considered. Thus, blood parameters do vary in response to helminth infection and could be good measures of susceptibility. Cette étude a été réalisée pour identifier les parasites de Helminthe et le fardeau associé à cinq souches de poulet autochtones, à savoir des écotypes Fulani à plumes normaux, un nuque nu, un nain et une frisée maintenus sous un système de liberté dans six zones gouvernementales locales des États de Kano et Jigawa. Un total de 540 échantillons fécaux frais ont été collectés à partir du tractus gastro-intestinal. Le nombre d'œufs fécaux (examen quantitatif) a été réalisé en utilisant la technique modifiée McMaster avec une solution de flottation. Tous les helminthes (cestodes et nématodes) ont été examinés sous un microscope léger et identifiés sur la base de clés helminthologiques. Le nombre de ver, ŒPG, volume de cellules emballé (VCE), les protéines sériques totales et l'albumine ont été utilisées pour évaluer la sensibilité au poulet à une infection de vers. Des différences significatives ont été observées parmi les souches de poulet pour l'œuf par gramme (ŒPG), des cestodes et des nématodes. Le plus haut ŒPG (119,80) a été observé dans des poulets de cou nu, suivis de frisanges (114,18), de nains (62,86), d'écotypes normaux à plumes (30,80) et de Fulani (0,71). Les poulets frongettes avaient une cestode moyenne moyenne (7,96) comptant que les autres souches. Les poulets nains étaient significativement (p <0,05) plus susceptibles d'infection nématode. L'ŒPG (60,55) et la charge de ver supérieur (CESTOD, 6,08) ont été trouvés chez les poulets que les poules. Le flux de gènes élevé et la faible différenciation entre les écotypes Fulani et la normale à plumes normaux et à la nuque nue et à contreforts librizatés l'affirmation selon laquelle la similitude dans ŒPG entre elles étaient à cause de la proximité génétique. La susceptibilité à une infection de vers dans l'étude mesurée par la prévalence et l'ŒPG a donc été contrôlée génétiquement. Il y avait généralement des corrélations négatives et faibles entre le nombre de ver d'œufs et d'adultes avec des indices hématologiques considérés. Ainsi, les paramètres sanguins varient en réponse à l'infection d'helminthe et pourraient être de bonnes mesures de susceptibilité.

Assessing the Efficacy of Albendazole against Fasciola hepatica in Naturally Infected Cattle by In Vivo and In Vitro Methods

This study was performed on a cattle farm with a long-term use of albendazole (ABZ) and a permanent history of fasciolosis for comparing in vivo and in vitro methods for the detection of anthelmintic resistance and drug efficacy. A selected group of 10 Charolais cows was treated in autumn 2020 with ABZ at a dose of 7.5 mg/kg body weight. Another group of 10 cows remained untreated as a control. The faecal egg count reduction test was used to determine in vivo efficacy. The percentage reduction of eggs on day 14 after treatment ranged from 77 to 81.8%, depending on the formula used for calculation. The in vitro egg hatch test (EHT) was used as a second diagnostic method. F. hepatica eggs for the EHT were isolated from faecal samples. The test was performed in two versions differing in the length of incubation with ABZ (12 h and 15 d). The percentage of eggs with inhibited development at a concentration of 0.5 μM in both versions of the EHT agreed with the in vivo results. Ovicidal activity at a concentration of 0.5 μM in the 12-h version suggested a reduced efficacy of ABZ (65.40%). An EHT prepared using pooled faecal samples was a prospective method for the detection of efficacy and ABZ resistance in F. hepatica.

A survey of control strategies for equine small strongyles in Lithuania

Summary Anthelmintic resistance (AR) in equine cyathostomins is being reported all over the world. In Lithuania, however, the last study on this subject was published more than fifteen years ago, thus little is known about the current situation. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that may associated with the development of AR on equine studs in Lithuania. A questionnaire containing seven open-ended and nine closed multiple-choice questions about worm control strategies, use of anthelmintic substances and stable management practices was posted to 71 randomly selected horse establishments in Lithuania. Replies were obtained from a total of 59 stables, representing 83 % of officially established stud farms in Lithuania. The results showed that more than 80 % of these establishments performed pasture management practices such as excrement removal from stables and pasture, 56 % mowed their pasture, 31 % practised mixed or rotational grazing with other species, and 97 % of the horses were routinely dewormed. Macrocyclic lactones (ML) (58 %, n=33) were the most commonly used drugs, followed by benzimidazoles (BZ) (24 %, n=14) and tetrahydropyrimidines (THP) (19 %, n=10). The majority of farms (60 %) treated horses four times per year and 68 % estimated the weight of the horses by eye before treatment. About 36 % of respondents had heard of faecal egg counts (FEC), but only 17 % used the test and as few as 9 % had tested their herds for AR with faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRT). The results demonstrate that there is scope for improving routines for worm control in many horse establishments in Lithuania. In order to increase knowledge and reduce the risk of the spread of AR, diagnostic methods should be adopted in a collaboration between stud farms and veterinary practitioners.

First report of multiple drug-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep in Arbat District, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq detected by in vivo and in vitro methods

Introduction The control of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) in small ruminants is principally dependent on anthelmintic therapy, which encounters the rising problem of anthelmintic resistance (AR) development. Veterinarians reported anthelmintic failure in several sheep farms in Arbat District, Sulaymaniyah, northern Iraq, which called for a systematic study about the efficacy of three commonly used drugs: albendazole, ivermectin, and levamisole. Material and Methods A faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was conducted to elucidate the anthelmintics’ efficacies, with coprocultures to determine the GINs parasitising sheep in the study area. Larval development assays (LDAs) were conducted to determine the drugs’ median inhibitory concentrations (IC50). Results The FECRT revealed that AR was widespread to all three drugs, and ivermectin was the least effective, reducing the faecal egg counts (FECs) by 50.5% to 57.1%. The coprocultures revealed that the GIN genera of sheep in Arbat District were Trichostrongylus, Nematodirus, and Trichuris, and the resistance was mainly due to Trichostrongylus species. The mean IC50 of albendazole, ivermectin, and levamisole were 0.073 ng/mL, 7.97 ng/mL, and 1.43 ng/mL, respectively. Conclusion This study is the first Iraqi report of AR confirmed by both in vivo FECRT and in vitro LDA methods.

Prevalence, Intensity and Risks Involved in Helminth Infections in Domestic Mountain Pony and Balkan Donkey in Nature Park Stara Planina, Serbia

Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, intensity and risk factors (age and gender) promoting the intestinal helminthic infections of the Domestic mountain ponies and Balkan donkeys in Serbia. Methods: Prevalence, intensity and risk factors influencing helminth infection in horses (n=39) and donkeys (n=18) at the site of Nature Park Stara Planina, were studied from May to Sep 2015. The presence of one or several gastrointestinal helminth species was confirmed by faecal flotation in 97.43% of horses and 88.88% of donkeys included in the monitoring. The identified helminth species were Trichostrongylus axei, Strongylus edentatus, S. vulgaris, Parascaris equorum, Dictyocaulus arnfieldi and Anoplocephala magna in 84.61%, 46.15%, 5.13%, 58.97%, 94.87% and 38.46% of horses, respectively. The significant association of infection with P. equorum and sex of horses was established. (χ2=13.33, P<0.01). Results: The prevalence of parasitic helminths identified in donkeys was the following: D. arnfieldi, T. axei, Pa. equorum, S. vulgaris, A. margna and Strongyloides westeri in 55.55%, 38.89%, 27.78%, 22.22% and 22.22% of donkeys, respectively. Moreover, the mean faecal egg count was higher in donkeys (369.9 EPG - egg per gram) than in horses (250.2 EPG). The association between the age and the mean EPG was significant (P<0.05) in both equine species. Conclusion: The results of the investigation provided basic information that can be helpful for planning strategic control of nematode infection in equine population in Nature Reserves in Serbia.

Multiple anthelmintic resistance at a goat farm in Slovakia

Summary Cases of parasite resistance to the main classes of anthelmintics are increasingly reported from small ruminants at farms in Europe. We visited a goat farm in Slovakia in November 2019 with suspected parasite problems that reduced productivity and performed an in vivo faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and an in vitro larval development test (LDT) for all three main classes of anthelmintics. The lowest efficacy (60 %) detected by FECRT was for ivermectin (IVM). Benzimidazole (BZ) efficacy ranged between 80.3 and 86.5 %, and levamisole (LEV) efficacy was 94 %. The results from the in vivo FECRT test were confirmed by the in vitro LDT. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) 173.6 ng/ml for IVM several times exceeded the recommended threshold of 21.6 ng/ml. Mean LD50 for BZ was equal to the threshold concentration, but the other threshold criteria indicated a low level of resistance in the population. The LDT did not indicate the presence of resistance only for LEV. The MIC 1.0 μg/ml for LEV was evaluated as susceptible with respect to species composition. Teladorsagia was the dominant genus after treatment with BZ, IVM, and LEV. Haemonchus contortus was identifi ed after treatment with BZ and LEV.

Zoonotic Parasitological Findings in a Puppy: The Course and Therapeutical Efficacy

Considering the close contact of companion animals and humans, gastrointestinal parasitic zoonoses are very widespread and represent a high risk of transmission with the potential of severe consequences affecting the digestive tract of both humans and other animals. In this study we focused on enteric zoonoses caused by Toxocara canis nematode, Dipylidium caninum tapeworm and Giardia duodenalis protozoa. Our primary aim was to observe Toxocara canis egg excretion within the 27 consecutive days before and after orally treatment (2 Caniverm® tablets) on Day 13 in a naturally infected puppy. An average egg per gram (EPG) of T. canis detected by coprological quantitative McMaster method was 4558.33 and 666.66, before and after treatment, respectively. The percentage of faecal egg count reduction (%FECR) in in vivo Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) has confirmed an 85.37 % efficacy against T. canis. Secondly, the efficacy of Caniverm® against the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum was also determined. No D. caninum proglottides were detected on Day 14. The data showed 100 % effectiveness of the anthelmintic treatment. Metrobactin® 250 mg has been tested as experimental therapy against Giardia duodenalis on Day 3. On day 10, no cysts were observed in the faeces after per os ¼ tablet administration twice a day for 7 days.

Case report: Control of intestinal nematodes in captive Chlorocebus sabaeus

There are limited data on the efficacy of antiparasitic treatments and husbandry methods to control nematode infections in captive populations of African green monkeys (AGMs), Chlorocebus sabaeus. In faecal egg count (FEC) tests, 10 of the 11 (91%) adult male AGMs captured from the large feral population on the island of St Kitts had evidence of nematode infections, mostly Capillaria (8/11, 73%), Trichuris trichiura (7/11, 64%) and strongylid species (7/11, 64%) specifically (hookworm and Trichostrongylus, 50/50), but also Strongyloides fuelleborni (1/11, 9%). When kept in individual cages with cleaning and feeding regimens to prevent reinfections and treated concurrently with ivermectin (300 µg/kg, given subcutaneously) and albendazole (10 mg/kg, given orally) daily for 3 days, 60% (6/10) of the AGMs were negative at a follow-up FEC at 3 months and by FEC and necropsy at the end of the study 5–8 months later. One monkey appeared to have been reinfected with T. trichiura after being negative by FEC at 3 months post-treatment. Four AGMs were positive for T. trichiura at the 3 month FEC follow-up but were negative at the end of the study after one further treatment regimen. Although initially being cleared of Capillaria following treatment, three AGMs were found to be infected at the end of the study. The ivermectin and albendazole treatment regimen coupled with good husbandry practices to prevent reinfections effectively controlled nematode infections in captive AGMs.