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Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2009; 51(1); 45; doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-51-45

Anthelmintic efficacy on Parascaris equorum in foals on Swedish studs.

Abstract: In the last few years stud farms have experienced increasing problems with Parascaris equorum infections in foals despite intensive deworming programs. This has led to the question as to whether the anthelmintic drugs used against this parasite are failing. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of ivermectin, fenbendazole and pyrantel on the faecal output of ascarid eggs of foals. Methods: A Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) was performed on nine large studs in Sweden. Anthelmintic drugs were given orally and faecal samples were examined for ascarid eggs on the day of deworming and 14 days later. Faecal Egg Count Reductions (FECRs) were calculated on arithmetic means of transformed individual FECRs and on arithmetic means of individual FECRs. Results: Seventy-nine (48%) out of a total of 165 foals sampled were positive for P. equorum eggs before deworming and 66 of these met the criteria for being used in the efficacy assessment. It was shown that there was no, or very low activity of ivermectin on the output of ascarid eggs in the majority of the foals, whereas for fenbendazole and pyrantel it was >90%. Conclusions: Ivermectin resistance was shown in 5 out of 6 farms. Therefore, ivermectin should not be the drug of choice in the control of P. equorum infections in foals. According to the results of this study, fenbendazole or pyrantel are still effective and should be used against this parasite.
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Publication Date: 2009-11-22 PubMed ID: 19930608PubMed Central: PMC2788565DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-51-45Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the effectiveness of various anthelmintic drugs on reducing the output of ascarid eggs in foals infected with the parasite Parascaris equorum in Swedish studs. The study concludes that ivermectin proved largely ineffective and suggests the use of fenbendazole or pyrantel instead.

Study’s Purpose and Methodology

  • The primary purpose of this research was to explore the effectiveness of three anthelmintic drugs namely, ivermectin, fenbendazole, and pyrantel, in treating the infections of Parascaris equorum, a type of parasite, in foals at stud farms.
  • The study stemmed from the concern regarding the rising issues of infections in foals at these farms despite rigorous deworming programs being undertaken.
  • To investigate the issue, the authors employed a Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) on nine large stud farms in Sweden.
  • The drugs were administered orally, and faecal samples from the foals were evaluated for the presence of ascarid eggs both on the day of deworming and 14 days after the treatment.
  • To ascertain the efficacy of the drugs, the authors calculated the Faecal Egg Count Reductions (FECRs) based on the arithmetic means of altered individual FECRs and on the arithmetic means of individual FECRs.

Major Observations and Conclusions

  • Out of the total 165 foals sampled, 79 (48%) were found to be hosting P. equorum eggs prior to the deworming process.
  • Upon examination, it was observed that ivermectin displayed little to no activity on reducing the output of ascarid eggs in most foals. In opposition, fenbendazole and pyrantel showcased an effectiveness greater than 90%.
  • Ivermectin resistance was documented on 5 out of the 6 farms surveyed, pointing towards its inefficacy against P. equorum infections.
  • Thus, the authors concluded that fenbendazole and pyrantel should be preferred over ivermectin for controlling the said infections in foals.

Study’s Implications

  • This study provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of different anthelmintic drugs against P. equorum infections in foals and contributes significantly to the understanding of anthelmintic resistance.
  • By demonstrating the inefficacy of ivermectin, the study has crucial implications for farm management and veterinary practices. It suggests a need to revise deworming strategies at stud farms.
  • The research findings recommend employing fenbendazole and pyrantel as the primary drugs of choice in tackling the said infections, thereby providing a concrete course of action for their better management and control.

Cite This Article

APA
Lind EO, Christensson D. (2009). Anthelmintic efficacy on Parascaris equorum in foals on Swedish studs. Acta Vet Scand, 51(1), 45. https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-51-45

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 51
Issue: 1
Pages: 45

Researcher Affiliations

Lind, Eva Osterman
  • National Veterinary Institute, Department of Virology, Immunobiology and Parasitology, Section for Parasitological Diagnostics, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden. eva.osterman-lind@sva.se
Christensson, Dan

    MeSH Terms

    • Animals
    • Anthelmintics / therapeutic use
    • Ascaridida Infections / drug therapy
    • Ascaridida Infections / veterinary
    • Ascaridoidea
    • Feces / parasitology
    • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
    • Horses
    • Male
    • Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
    • Sweden
    • Treatment Outcome

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    Citations

    This article has been cited 6 times.
    1. Boelow H, Krücken J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Epidemiological study on factors influencing the occurrence of helminth eggs in horses in Germany based on sent-in diagnostic samples. Parasitol Res 2023 Mar;122(3):749-767.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07765-4pubmed: 36627515google scholar: lookup
    2. Nielsen MK. Anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes: Current status and emerging trends. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022 Dec;20:76-88.
      doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2022.10.005pubmed: 36342004google scholar: lookup
    3. Cain JL, Norris JK, Ripley NE, Suri P, Finnerty CA, Gravatte HS, Nielsen MK. The microbial community associated with Parascaris spp. infecting juvenile horses. Parasit Vectors 2022 Nov 4;15(1):408.
      doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05533-ypubmed: 36333754google scholar: lookup
    4. Cain JL, Nielsen MK. The equine ascarids: resuscitating historic model organisms for modern purposes. Parasitol Res 2022 Oct;121(10):2775-2791.
      doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07627-zpubmed: 35986167google scholar: lookup
    5. Martin F, Halvarsson P, Delhomme N, Höglund J, Tydén E. Exploring the β-tubulin gene family in a benzimidazole-resistant Parascaris univalens population. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021 Dec;17:84-91.
      doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.08.004pubmed: 34467878google scholar: lookup
    6. Tydén E, Dahlberg J, Karlberg O, Höglund J. Deep amplicon sequencing of preselected isolates of Parascaris equorum in β-tubulin codons associated with benzimidazole resistance in other nematodes. Parasit Vectors 2014 Aug 29;7:410.
      doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-410pubmed: 25175357google scholar: lookup
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