Resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes to the most commonly used anthelmintics in sheep, cattle and horses in Spain.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the status of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in ruminants and horses in Spain. The efficacy of commonly used macrocyclic lactones (MLs) - ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) - was measured in sheep, cattle and horses. In addition, albendazole (ABZ) and levamisole (LEV) were evaluated in sheep and oxibendazole (OXI) and pyrantel (PYR) in horses. Efficacy was evaluated based on the difference between the arithmetic mean pre- and post-treatment faecal egg count (in cattle and horses), or compared to an untreated control group (in sheep). AR was present when the percentage reduction in egg count was <95% and the lower 95% confidence interval (CI) was <90%; if only one of these two criteria was met, the finding was recorded as suspected AR (SAR). In horses, AR-PYR and OXI was considered when the percentage reduction in egg count was ≤ 90% and the lower 95% CI was ≤ 80%. For each animal species, at least 10 study sites were selected. AR to at least one of the drugs was detected in all 10 sheep flocks; the main parasite identified after treatment was Teladorsagia circumcincta. Moreover, in 5 flocks multidrug resistance was identified, on 4 farms to drugs from different families, on one farm to both MOX and IVM and on another farm to all drugs tested. In cattle, the efficacy of both MOX and IVM was 100% on 4 and 3 farms, respectively, and therefore 60% of these farms were considered to have AR or SAR to both MLs. The most frequent parasite identified after treatment was Trichostrongylus spp., although Ostertagia ostertagi was also identified after treatment on one farm. In contrast to ruminants, the 4 drugs evaluated in horses were highly efficacious against strongyles, with efficacies for the MLs and OXI between 95 and 100% and between 94 and 100% for PYR, although 3 herds were SAR against PYR. In conclusion, AR to at least one of the commonly used drugs was identified on all sheep flocks investigated in the northwest of Spain. The occurrence of AR to MLs in cattle was higher than expected but consistent with what was observed in sheep. In horses, all currently used drugs were confirmed as effective against strongyles.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2015-06-04 PubMed ID: 26112062DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.024Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research aims to determine the effectiveness of commonly used deworming drugs in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep, cows, and horses in Spain. It found that most drugs were less effective in sheep and cattle due to anthelmintic resistance, while all tested drugs remained largely effective in horses.
Research Methodology
- The researchers sought to evaluate anthelmintic resistance in sheep, cows, and horses in Spain. They focused on commonly used drugs such as macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin), albendazole, levamisole (in sheep), and oxibendazole and pyrantel (in horses).
- The efficacy of the drugs was determined by comparing pre- and post-treatment average faecal egg counts in cows and horses. In sheep, the results were compared to those from an untreated control group.
- Anthelmintic resistance was defined as a less than 95% reduction in egg count post-treatment with a confidence interval of less than 90%. Situations where only one of these criteria were met were categorized as possible anthelmintic resistance.
- A total of 10 study sites were chosen for each animal species to ensure a comprehensive study.
Findings and Conclusions
- The results revealed that all ten tested sheep herds had developed resistance to at least one of the anthelmintics, and five of them had developed multidrug resistance. The parasite Teladorsagia circumcincta was largely responsible for this resistance.
- Cattle demonstrated 100% efficacy to both of the macrocyclic lactones on some farms, but 60% of them showed anthelmintic resistance or potential resistance. Trichostrongylus spp was the primary parasite identified after deworming, with Ostertagia ostertagi also identified on one farm.
- In contrast, all four drugs used for treating horses proved highly effective, achieving between 94% to 100% efficacy. However, some herds showed potential resistance to pyrantel.
The study concluded that anthelmintic resistance is present among all studied sheep flocks in northwest Spain. Resistance to macrocyclic lactones in cattle was higher than expected but similar to the situation in sheep. Meanwhile, currently used deworming drugs remain effective against strongyles in horses in Spain.
Cite This Article
APA
Martínez-Valladares M, Geurden T, Bartram DJ, Martínez-Pérez JM, Robles-Pérez D, Bohórquez A, Florez E, Meana A, Rojo-Vázquez FA.
(2015).
Resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes to the most commonly used anthelmintics in sheep, cattle and horses in Spain.
Vet Parasitol, 211(3-4), 228-233.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.05.024 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Finca de Marzanas, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain. Electronic address: mmarva@unileon.es.
- Zoetis, Mercuriusstraat 20, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
- Zoetis, Mercuriusstraat 20, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain.
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain.
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-ULE), Finca de Marzanas, 24346 Grulleros, León, Spain; Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, 24071 León, Spain.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anthelmintics / pharmacology
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / parasitology
- Drug Resistance
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horses
- Nematoda / drug effects
- Nematode Infections / epidemiology
- Nematode Infections / parasitology
- Nematode Infections / veterinary
- Sheep
- Sheep Diseases / epidemiology
- Sheep Diseases / parasitology
- Spain / epidemiology
Citations
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