The activity of albendazole against adult and larval gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands

Summary The activity of albendazole against gastrointestinal helminths in naturally infected calves in the Netherlands was tested. The calves were in their fist grazing season and kept in two groups of ten. One of these groups was grazed alternately with sheep. Five out of each group were drenched with albendazole (7.5 mg/kg) on the day they were housed (November 1). Before and 2, 14, and 28 days after treatment individual faecal samples were taken from all calves and larval cultures were made. Ten calves, six treated and four untreated, were killed for post mortem studies 14 days after treatment The remaining calves were slaughtered 14 days later. The drug was highly effective in reducing the egg output, measured as the number of larvae cultured per gram of faeces. Compared with the untreated calves, the reduction was more than 99% two days after treatment, 100% at 14 days, and 99% after 28 days. It was shown that egg output 28 days after treatment came from worms which had developed from arrested larvae of Ostertagia ostertagi that had survived treatment. Post mortem results showed an efficacy of 100% against adult O. ostertagi, of almost 100% against Trichostrongylus axei, and 100% against adult and larval Cooperia oncophora. Twenty-eight days after treatment, the reduction of arrested early fourth stages of O. ostertagi was 85% in comparison with the untreated calves. Apparently less effect was found against Trichuris ovis at the given dose rate.     

Assessing resistance of ivermectin and moxidectin against nematodes in cattle naturally infected using three different methodologies

The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) and the faecal egg count efficacy test (FECET) to assess the resistance status of ivermectin (630 μg/kg) and moxidectin (200 μg/kg), using the controlled efficacy test as a reference, and whether the results of the EPG are equivalent to the efficacy results from the parasitological necropsies. Two experiments were conducted. The results demonstrate that it was not possible to demonstrate that the EPG values were equivalent with the ivermectin and moxidectin efficacy obtained by parasitological necropsies, mainly if the phenomenon of parasites resistance is not advanced in a determined field population. Maybe the FECET technique would be possibly better than the FECRT. The high anthelmintic efficacy of 200 μg/kg moxidectin, in naturally infected cattle, against field population of nematodes that are resistant to 630 μg/kg ivermectin, was observed in this study.     

The strategic use of closantel and albendazole in controlling naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep in the Kenya highlands

The strategic use of closantel, a narrow-spectrum salicylanilide anthelmintic against bloodsucking helminths, and of albendazole, a broad-spectrum benzimidazole anthelmintic, in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep was investigated on a farm in Nyandarua District in the highlands of Kenya. Thirty Corriedale female lambs aged between 9 and 12 months were assigned to three treatment groups of 10 lambs each. The three groups were set stocked on separate paddocks for 12 months. Lambs in group 1 (strategic treatment group) were treated with closantel and albendazole at the beginning and towards the end of the long rains (April and June, respectively) and towards the end of the short rains (December). During the intervening dry season, the lambs were treated with albendazole. Lambs in group 2 (suppressive treatment group) were kept worm free by regular deworming with albendazole at 3-weekly intervals for 12 months. The third group of lambs remained untreat ed (control group). Gastrointestinal nematode infections and pasture infectivity were well controlled in the case of the strategic treatment group. This resulted in higher weight gains, wool production, packed cell volume, and serum albumin and protein concentrations compared with the untreated control lambs. These parameters were comparable between the strategic treatment and the suppressive treatment groups of lambs. It was concluded that worm control strategies based on the epidemiology of the parasites and the sustained anthelmintic action of closantel in combination with broad-spectrum anthelmintics can provide effective control of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep in the study area.     

The prevalence of isospora suis and strongyloides ransomi in suckling piglets in the Netherlands

Summary

Faecal samples from suckling piglets from 113 litters on 25 farms in the Netherlands were examined to study the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites, in particular Strongyloides ransomi and Isospora suis. S. ransomi was not found but I. suis was demonstrated in 17 of the 25 farms and in 41 out of 77 litters of these farms (53%). No other parasites were found. On the basis of these results, a longitudinal study on the incidence and significance of I. suis was performed on 10 farms (5 litters/farm). I. suis was found on 9 out of 10 farms and in 56% of the litters. Farms differed in infection levels, measured as the numbers of patent litters, and in the onset of patency. Other parasites were only found in faecal samples from the sows and from farrowing pens. These were, in order of prevalence, Balantidium coli, Ascaris suum, Eimeria spinosa, E. debliecki and E. suis.     

The incidence of Dictyocaulus viviparus infections in cattle in the Netherlands

Summary

The Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) provides a very efficient technique for detecting antibodies against Dictyocaulus vivparus in calves. Although low level cross reactions were found in animals with gastrointestinal nematodes, the specificity and sensitivity of the technique are sufficient for herd diagnosis of lungworm infections and for survey work. This conclusion is reached on the basis of artificially and naturally infected calves. ELISA titres correlate well with Indirect Haemagglutination titres, parasitological findings, and clinical observations.     

Duration of immunity of a quadrivalent vaccine against respiratory diseases caused by BHV-1, PI3V, BVDV, and BRSV in experimentally infected calves

Several laboratory studies assessed the duration of immunity of a quadrivalent vaccine (Rispoval™4, Pfizer Animal Health) against bovine respiratory diseases (BRD) caused by bovine herpes-virus type-1 (BHV-1), parainfluenza type-3 virus (PI₃V), bovine viral-diarrhoea virus type 1 (BVDV), or bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). Calves between 7 weeks and 6 months of age were allocated to treatment and then were injected with two doses of either the vaccine or the placebo 3 weeks apart. Six to 12 months after the second injection, animals were challenged with BHV-1 (n = 16), PI₃V (n = 31), BVDV (n = 16), or BRSV (n = 20) and the course of viral infection was monitored by serological, haematological (in the BVDV study only), clinical, and virological means for ≥2 weeks. Infection induced mild clinical signs of respiratory disease and elevated rectal temperature in both vaccinated and control animals and was followed by a dramatic rise in neutralising antibodies in all treatment groups. Titres reached higher levels in vaccinated calves than in control calves after challenge with BHV-1, BVDV, or BRSV. On day 3 after PI₃V challenge, virus shedding was reduced from 3.64 log₁₀ TCID₅₀ in control animals to 2.59 log₁₀ TCID₅₀ in vaccinated animals. On days 6 and 8 after BRSV challenge, there were fewer vaccinated animals (n = 2/10 and 0/10, respectively) shedding the virus than control animals (n = 8/10 and 3/10, respectively). Moreover, after challenge, the mean duration of virus shedding was reduced from 3.8 days in control animals to 1 day in vaccinated animals in the BVDV study and from 3.4 days in control animals to 1.2 days in vaccinated animals in the BRSV study. The duration of immunity of ≥6 months for PI₃V, BHV-1 and BVDV, and 12 months for BRSV, after vaccination with Rispoval™4, was associated mainly with enhanced post-challenge antibody response to all four viruses and reduction of the amount or duration of virus shedding or both.     

Efficacy of a quadrivalent vaccine against respiratory diseases caused by BHV-1, PI3V, BVDV and BRSV in experimentally infected calves

The efficacy of a quadrivalent vaccine against viral bovine respiratory diseases (BRD) was assessed in four experimental studies. Calves between 2 and 9 months of age were allocated to one of two treatment groups (n=9-15) and then received either the vaccine or sterile saline in two doses approximately 3 weeks apart. Three to 5 weeks after the second injection, animals were challenged experimentally with one of the viruses, bovine herpes-virus-1 (BHV-1), parainfluenza type-3 virus (PI(3)V), bovine viral-diarrhoea virus type 1 (BVDV), or bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) and were then monitored for at least 2 weeks. The administration of the vaccine was associated with enhanced antibody response to all four viruses post-challenge, with the reduction of the amount or duration (or both) of virus shedding in the BHV-1, PI(3)V, BVDV and BRSV studies and with an improvement of some clinical signs in the BHV-1 (nasal discharge, and rectal temperature) and the PI(3)V studies (abnormal respiration, and depression).     

The effects of anthelmintic treatments against gastrointestinal nematodes on the performance of breeding ewes and lambs on pasture in semi-arid Kenya

The effects of anthelmintics treatments in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in breeding ewes in a semi-arid area of Kenya were determined. The study carried out during two breeding seasons, between June 2000 and December 2001 where albendazole was administered to groups of ewes, 2 weeks before mating, 3 weeks to lambing and mid lactation indicated significantly lower nematode egg counts in treated than untreated groups of ewes. In the first breeding season, reduced rainfall resulted in pasture scarcity and weight loss in both groups of ewes through out the gestation period, but losses were higher for the untreated group. In the second season, both groups of ewes showed a steady increase in weight gain during the gestation period and post-partum, but weight gains were higher in the treated group. In lambs, weight gains at 6 weeks were higher for treated ewes than control groups, in both breeding seasons. The results of this trial indicate that anthelmintic treatments in breeding ewes in the study area are beneficial in reducing gastrointestinal nematode infections and improving performance of the ewes and their lambs. In addition to the treatments, breeding ewes should be given feed supplementation particularly during periods of pasture scarcity.     

Consequences of the unusually warm and dry summer of 2003 in The Netherlands: poor development of free living stages, normal survival of infective larvae and long survival of adult gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep

During 2003 a grazing study was performed at Utrecht University to evaluate evasive grazing and application of Duddingtonia flagrans for the control of parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep. However, the summer of 2003 (June-August) was unusually warm and dry. As a result the patterns of gastrointestinal nematode infections deviated from those observed in more average years. The proportion of eggs that developed to infective larvae was far lower than normal in July-August. On the other hand, survival of larvae that had developed before the middle of July was not affected compared to other years. In fact, severe haemonchosis was observed in (tracer) lambs grazed at the end of July on pastures that had been contaminated from 26-05 to 16-06 and from 16-06 to 07-07. Moreover, tracer lambs grazing in September on some of these plots still acquired large Haemonchus contortus burdens. Over 60% of H. contortus that had established before the middle of July appeared to be able to survive until October in the virtual absence of re-infection. That may have consequences for the application of evasive grazing as a control option in that suppression of adult burdens might still be necessary, through a limited use of anthelmintics or through alternative deworming strategies.