Anthelmintic resistance in human helminths: Learning from the problems with worm control in livestock.
Abstract: During the past decade, the prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in some economically important helminths of sheep, goats and horses has increased dramatically. In some regions of Australia, South America and South Africa, anthelmintic resistance has become a serious threat to the survival of the sheep industry. Mass treatment programmes and exclusive reliance on anthelmintics for worm control in livestock are amongst the most important reasons for the development of anthelmintic resistance. In this article, Stanny Geerts, Gerald Coles and Bruno Gryseels draw the attention to a number of errors that have occurred in the control of helminths in livestock and that should be avoided in the control of worms in humans.
Publication Date: 1997-04-01 PubMed ID: 15275102DOI: 10.1016/s0169-4758(97)01024-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article focuses on the escalating issue of anthelmintic resistance in various helminths affecting sheep, goats, and horses, and the implications it could have on human worm control. The study highlights the factors contributing to this growing resistance, with particular emphasis on mass treatment programmes and overwhelming reliance on anthelmintics.
Anthelmintic Resistance in Livestock
- The article shines a light on the increased prevalence of anthelmintic resistance in livestock helminths, that is, parasitic worms infecting sheep, goats, and horses. These helminths are of considerable economic importance, and their increasing resistance to drugs used for their control has serious repercussions.
- The problem of resistance is particularly stark in regions such as Australia, South America, and South Africa. In these areas, the sheep industry is under threat due to the rampant rise in anthelmintic resistance.
Reasons for the Development of Anthelmintic Resistance
- The authors point out key reasons for the evolution of anthelmintic resistance. One of the primary factors is the widespread use of mass treatment programmes for worm control in livestock. These programmes, while initially effective, eventually lead to a selection pressure on the parasites, resulting in the survival and proliferation of drug-resistant breeds.
- The second significant contributing factor is the sole and disproportionate reliance on anthelmintics for the control of helminths. Overexposure to these drugs has led to an adaptation in the parasites, enabling them to withstand the anthelmintics.
Implications for Human Worm Control
- The article emphasizes that the lessons learned from the livestock sector are critical for human worm control. The authors warn against repeating the same mistakes in human helminth control as were made with livestock parasites.
- If the same trends of mass treatment and overreliance on specific drugs are followed in human worm control, it could potentially lead to a similar issue of drug resistance, making it more difficult to effectively manage and control worm infections in humans.
In conclusion, the authors call for a more measured approach to the use of anthelmintics, both in livestock and in humans, as a crucial part of sustainable parasite control strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Geerts S, Coles GC, Gryseels B.
(1997).
Anthelmintic resistance in human helminths: Learning from the problems with worm control in livestock.
Parasitol Today, 13(4), 149-156.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0169-4758(97)01024-7 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp I. Belgium. sgeerts@itg.be
Citations
This article has been cited 13 times.- Eastham G, Fausnacht D, Becker MH, Gillen A, Moore W. Praziquantel resistance in schistosomes: a brief report. Front Parasitol 2024;3:1471451.
- Bekele T, Lachisa L, Tsegaye A, Bacha K, Ketema T. Efficacy of Albendazole and Mebendazole Against Soil Transmitted Infections among Pre-School and School Age Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Epidemiol Glob Health 2024 Sep;14(3):884-904.
- 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.
- Cain JL, Nielsen MK. The equine ascarids: resuscitating historic model organisms for modern purposes. Parasitol Res 2022 Oct;121(10):2775-2791.
- Tinkler SH. Preventive chemotherapy and anthelmintic resistance of soil-transmitted helminths - Can we learn nothing from veterinary medicine?. One Health 2020 Jun;9:100106.
- Prasopdee S, Tesana S, Cantacessi C, Laha T, Mulvenna J, Grams R, Loukas A, Sotillo J. Proteomic profile of Bithynia siamensis goniomphalos snails upon infection with the carcinogenic liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini. J Proteomics 2015 Jan 15;113:281-91.
- Tritten L, Silbereisen A, Keiser J. Nitazoxanide: In vitro and in vivo drug effects against Trichuris muris and Ancylostoma ceylanicum, alone or in combination. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2012 Dec;2:98-105.
- Krolewiecki AJ, Lammie P, Jacobson J, Gabrielli AF, Levecke B, Socias E, Arias LM, Sosa N, Abraham D, Cimino R, Echazú A, Crudo F, Vercruysse J, Albonico M. A public health response against Strongyloides stercoralis: time to look at soil-transmitted helminthiasis in full. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2013;7(5):e2165.
- Wang W, Wang L, Liang YS. Susceptibility or resistance of praziquantel in human schistosomiasis: a review. Parasitol Res 2012 Nov;111(5):1871-7.
- Brendza KM, Haakenson W, Cahoon RE, Hicks LM, Palavalli LH, Chiapelli BJ, McLaird M, McCarter JP, Williams DJ, Hresko MC, Jez JM. Phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PMT-1) catalyses the first reaction of a new pathway for phosphocholine biosynthesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochem J 2007 Jun 15;404(3):439-48.
- Stepek G, Buttle DJ, Duce IR, Behnke JM. Human gastrointestinal nematode infections: are new control methods required?. Int J Exp Pathol 2006 Oct;87(5):325-41.
- Albonico M, Bickle Q, Haji HJ, Ramsan M, Khatib KJ, Montresor A, Savioli L, Taylor M. Evaluation of the efficacy of pyrantel-oxantel for the treatment of soil-transmitted nematode infections. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2002 Nov-Dec;96(6):685-90.
- Geerts S, Gryseels B. Drug resistance in human helminths: current situation and lessons from livestock. Clin Microbiol Rev 2000 Apr;13(2):207-22.
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