Analyze Diet
Frontiers in veterinary science2022; 9; 833204; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.833204

Total Failure of Fenbendazole to Control Strongylid Infections in Czech Horse Operations.

Abstract: The control of strongylid infections has become challenging globally for equine practitioners due to the development of anthelmintic resistance. Comprehensive information on anthelmintic resistance in the Czech Republic, however, is still lacking. This study monitored the current efficacy of fenbendazole, pyrantel embonate, ivermectin and moxidectin. Forty-eight of 71 operations met the criteria (≥6 horses with ≥200 eggs per gram), with 969 fecal egg count reduction tests performed. Anthelmintic resistance was evaluated on an operation level based on fecal egg count reduction (FECR) and the lower limit of the 95% credible interval (LLCI) using Bayesian hierarchical models. General anthelmintic efficacy across all operations was assessed by posterior FECRs and the occurrence of sub-zero efficacies. Ivermectin and moxidectin demonstrated excellent efficacy (FECR 99.8-100%; 99.4-100 LLCI) in 45 and 23 operations, respectively, pyrantel embonate demonstrated sufficient efficacy in 15 operations and resistance was suspected in seven operations (FECR 88.1-99.1%; 72.5-98.5 LLCI). Fenbendazole, however, was not effective in a single operation (FECR 19.1-77.8%; 8.1-50.1 LLCI) out of 18. Fenbendazole had the highest probability of sub-zero efficacy (29.1%), i.e., post-treatment fecal egg counts exceeded the pre-treatment counts. Our data indicate an increase in the development of anthelmintic resistance, resulting in total failure of fenbendazole and a reduced efficacy of pyrantel embonate. Introducing advanced approaches of parasite control in the Czech Republic to slow the spread of anthelmintic resistance is thus needed.
Publication Date: 2022-02-21 PubMed ID: 35265696PubMed Central: PMC8899116DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.833204Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
  • Journal Article

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 study investigates the developing resistance of horse strongylid infections to certain anthelmintics in the Czech Republic. The research found that fenbendazole failed to control the infection in all examined cases, while other drugs showed varying levels of effectiveness. The results underscore the need for advanced parasite control methods to combat growing anthelmintic resistance.

Research Context

  • The study focuses on the increasing global issue of anthelmintic resistance in controlling strongylid infections in horses. These infections are of notable concern to equine practitioners worldwide.
  • Anthelmintic resistance data for the Czech Republic is notably lacking, inspiring this research.
  • The researchers aim to monitor the effectiveness of four anthelmintics namely fenbendazole, pyrantel embonate, ivermectin, and moxidectin.

Research Procedure

  • Out of 71 Czech horse operations, 48 met the criteria to be included in the study, with each operation having at least 6 horses with an egg count of at least 200 per gram.
  • A total of 969 fecal egg count reduction tests were performed across all operations.
  • The researchers defined anthelmintic resistance at an operation level using fecal egg count reduction (FECR) and the lower limit of the 95% credible interval (LLCI) in a Bayesian hierarchical model.

Findings

  • Ivermectin and moxidectin demonstrated excellent efficacy in 45 and 23 operations, respectively, clearly reducing the fecal egg count.
  • Pyrantel embonate showed sufficient efficacy in 15 operations, but resistance was suspected in seven operations. This is determined by the FECR rate between 88.1-99.1% and LLCI of 72.5-98.5%.
  • The research found that fenbendazole was not effective in any of the 18 operations where it was used, showing FECR rates between 19.1-77.8% and LLCI of 8.1–50.1%. Moreover, fenbendazole had the highest probability of increasing post-treatment fecal egg counts (29.1%), indicating sub-zero efficacy.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The research indicates a growing issue of anthelmintic resistance in the Czech Republic, particularly with the total failure of fenbendazole and reduced effectiveness of pyrantel embonate.
  • These findings underline an urgent need to introduce advanced parasite control methods to slow down the spread of anthelmintic resistance.

Cite This Article

APA
Nápravníková J, Várady M, Vadlejch J. (2022). Total Failure of Fenbendazole to Control Strongylid Infections in Czech Horse Operations. Front Vet Sci, 9, 833204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.833204

Publication

ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Pages: 833204

Researcher Affiliations

Nápravníková, Jana
  • Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia.
Várady, Marián
  • Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice, Slovakia.
Vadlejch, Jaroslav
  • Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czechia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 46 references
  1. Matthews JB. Anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist (2014) 4:310–5.
  2. Love S, Murphy D, Mellor D. Pathogenicity of cyathostome infection.. Vet Parasitol (1999) 85:113–22.
    doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(99)00092-8pubmed: 10485358google scholar: lookup
  3. Raza A, Qamar AG, Hayat K, Ashraf S, Williams AR. Anthelmintic resistance and novel control options in equine gastrointestinal nematodes.. Parasitology (2019) 146:425–37.
    doi: 10.1017/S0031182018001786pubmed: 30392477google scholar: lookup
  4. Köhler P. The biochemical basis of anthelmintic action and resistance.. Int J Parasitol (2001) 31:336–45.
    doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(01)00131-Xpubmed: 11400692google scholar: lookup
  5. Craven J, Bjørn H, Barnes EH, Henriksen SA, Nansen P. A comparison of in vitro tests and a faecal egg count reduction test in detecting anthelmintic resistance in horse strongyles.. Vet Parasitol (1999) 85:49–59.
    doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(99)00113-2pubmed: 10447192google scholar: lookup
  6. Várady M, Königová A, Corba J. Benzimidazole resistance in equine cyathostomes in Slovakia.. Vet Parasitol (2000) 94:67–74.
    doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(00)00366-6pubmed: 11078945google scholar: lookup
  7. Lind EO, Kuzmina T, Uggla A, Waller PJ, Höglund J. A field study on the effect of some anthelmintics on cyathostomins of horses in Sweden.. Vet Res Commun (2007) 31:53–65.
    doi: 10.1007/s11259-006-3402-5pubmed: 17186406google scholar: lookup
  8. Traversa D, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Demeler J, Milillo P, Schürmann S, Barnes H. Anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin populations from horse yards in Italy, United Kingdom and Germany.. Parasit Vectors (2009) 2:1–7.
    doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-I1pmc: PMC2751838pubmed: 19778463google scholar: lookup
  9. Traversa D, Castagna G, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Meloni S, Bartolini R, Geurden T. Efficacy of major anthelmintics against horse cyathostomins in France.. Vet Parasitol (2012) 188:294–300.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.03.048pubmed: 22538094google scholar: lookup
  10. Lester HE, Spanton J, Stratford CH, Bartley DJ, Morgan ER, Hodgkinson JE. Anthelmintic efficacy against cyathostomins in horses in Southern England.. Vet Parasitol (2013) 197:189–96.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.06.009pubmed: 23830687google scholar: lookup
  11. Relf VE, Lester HE, Morgan ER, Hodgkinson JE, Matthews JB. Anthelmintic efficacy on UK Thoroughbred stud farms.. Int J Parasitol (2014) 44:507–14.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.03.006pubmed: 24746779google scholar: lookup
  12. Stratford CH, Lester HE, Pickles KJ, McGorum BC, Matthews JB. An investigation of anthelmintic efficacy against strongyles on equine yards in Scotland.. Equine Vet J (2014) 46:17–24.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12079pubmed: 23662803google scholar: lookup
  13. Tarigo-Martinie JL, Wyatt AR, Kaplan RM. Prevalence and clinical implications of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomes of horses.. J Am Vet Med Assoc (2001) 218:1957–60.
    doi: 10.2460/javma.2001.218.1957pubmed: 11417741google scholar: lookup
  14. Rossano MG, Smith AR, Lyons ET. Shortened strongyle-type egg reappearance periods in naturally infected horses treated with moxidectin and failure of a larvicidal dose of fenbendazole to reduce fecal egg counts.. Vet Parasitol (2010) 173:349–52.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.07.001pubmed: 20675055google scholar: lookup
  15. Bellaw JL, Krebs K, Reinemeyer CR, Norris JK, Scare JA, Pagano S. Anthelmintic therapy of equine cyathostomin nematodes – Larvicidal efficacy, egg reappearance period, and drug resistance.. Int J Parasitol (2018) 48:97–105.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2017.08.009pubmed: 29050919google scholar: lookup
  16. von Witzendorff C, Quintana I, Sievers G, Schnieder T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Estudio sobre resistencia frente a los bencimidazoles de pequeños estróngilos (Cyathostominae) del equino en el sur de Chile.. Arch Med Vet (2003) 35:187–94.
  17. Salas-Romero J, Gómez-Cabrera KA, Salas JE, Vázquez R, Arenal A, Nielsen MK. First report of anthelmintic resistance of equine cyathostomins in Cuba.. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports (2018) 13:220–3.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2018.07.005pubmed: 31014878google scholar: lookup
  18. Canever RJ, Braga PR, Boeckh A, Grycajuck M, Bier D, Molento MB. Lack of Cyathostomin sp. reduction after anthelmintic treatment in horses in Brazil.. Vet Parasitol (2013) 194:35–9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.020pubmed: 23318166google scholar: lookup
  19. Vera JHS, Fachiolli DF, Ramires LM, Saes LI, Yamada PH, Gonçalves JA. Eficacy of ivermectin, moxidectin and febendazole in equine in Brazil.. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports (2020) 20:100374.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vprsr.2020.100374pubmed: 32448518google scholar: lookup
  20. Chapman MR, French DD, Monahan CM, Klei TR. Identification and characterization of a pyrantel pamoate resistant cyathostome population.. Vet Parasitol (1996) 66:205–12.
    doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(96)01014-Xpubmed: 9017883google scholar: lookup
  21. Slocombe JOD, de Gannes RV. Cyathostomes in horses in Canada resistant to pyrantel salts and effectively removed by moxidectin.. Vet Parasitol (2006) 140:181–4.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.03.019pubmed: 16682123google scholar: lookup
  22. Näreaho A, Vainio K, Oksanen A. Impaired efficacy of ivermectin against Parascaris equorum, and both ivermectin and pyrantel against strongyle infections in trotter foals in Finland.. Vet Parasitol (2011) 182:372–7.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.05.045pubmed: 21689886google scholar: lookup
  23. Dauparaite E, Kupčinskas T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Petkevičius S. Anthelmintic resistance of horse strongyle nematodes to ivermectin and pyrantel in Lithuania.. Acta Vet Scand (2021) 63:1–7.
    doi: 10.1186/s13028-021-00569-zpmc: PMC7836172pubmed: 33494770google scholar: lookup
  24. von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Fritzen B, Demeler J, Schürmann S, Rohn K, Schnieder T. Cases of reduced cyathostomin egg-reappearance period and failure of Parascaris equorum egg count reduction following ivermectin treatment as well as survey on pyrantel efficacy on German horse farms.. Vet Parasitol (2007) 144:74–80.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.09.036pubmed: 17112667google scholar: lookup
  25. Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Ionita M, Lewellen A, Collins SS. Field studies indicating reduced activity of ivermectin on small strongyles in horses on a farm in Central Kentucky.. Parasitol Res (2008) 103:209–15.
    doi: 10.1007/s00436-008-0959-7pubmed: 18389281google scholar: lookup
  26. Daniels SP, Proudman CJ. Shortened egg reappearance after ivermectin or moxidectin use in horses in the UK.. Vet J (2016) 218:36–9.
    doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2016.11.003pubmed: 27938707google scholar: lookup
  27. Chroust K. Occurrence of anthelmintic resistance in strongylid nematodes of sheep and horses in the Czech Republic.. Vet Med (2000) 45:233–9.
  28. Langrová I, Borovský M, Jankovská I, Navrátil J, Slavík V. The benzimidazole resistance of cyathostomes on five horse farms in the Czech Republic.. Helminthologia (2002) 39:211–6.
  29. Bodeček Š, Vavrouchová E. Monitoring of anthelmintic resistance in small strongyles in the Czech Republic in the years 2006–2009.. Acta Vet Brno (2013) 82:243–8.
    doi: 10.2754/avb201382030243google scholar: lookup
  30. Bodeček S, Světlíková J, Hargitaiová K, Kecerová Z, Mráčková M. Monitoring the avermectin and pyrantel resistance status of nematode parasites of horses in the Czech Republic.. Vet Med (2018) 63:299–305.
    doi: 10.17221/125/2017-VETMEDgoogle scholar: lookup
  31. Coles GC, Jackson F, Pomroy WE, Prichard RK, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Silvestre A. The detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of veterinary importance.. Vet Parasitol (2006) 136:167–85.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.11.019pubmed: 16427201google scholar: lookup
  32. ESCCAP. A Guide to the Treatment and Control of Equine Gastrointestinal Parasite Infections.. (2019).
  33. AAEP. AAEP Internal Parasite Control Guidelines.. (2019).
  34. Barda BD, Rinaldi L, Ianniello D, Zepherine H, Salvo F, Sadutshang T. Mini-FLOTAC, an innovative direct diagnostic technique for intestinal parasitic infections: experience from the field.. PLoS Negl Trop Dis (2013) 7:e2344.
  35. Cringoli G, Maurelli MP, Levecke B, Bosco A, Vercruysse J, Utzinger J. The Mini-FLOTAC technique for the diagnosis of helminth and protozoan infections in humans and animals.. Nat Protoc (2017) 12:1723.
    doi: 10.1038/nprot.2017.067pubmed: 28771238google scholar: lookup
  36. Cernea M, de Carvalho LM, Cozma V. Atlas of Diagnosis of Equine Strongylidosis.. Cluj-Napoca: Editura Academic Press; (2008). p. 118.
  37. Torgerson PR, Paul M, Furrer R. Evaluating faecal egg count reduction using a specifically designed package “eggCounts” in R and a user friendly web interface.. Int J Parasitol (2014) 44:299–303.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.01.005pubmed: 24556564google scholar: lookup
  38. Wang C, Torgerson PR, Kaplan RM, George MM, Furrer R. Modelling anthelmintic resistance by extending eggcounts package to allow individual efficacy.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist (2018) 8:386–93.
  39. Levecke B, Kaplan RM, Thamsborg SM, Torgerson PR, Vercruysse J, Dobson RJ. How to improve the standardization and the diagnostic performance of the fecal egg count reduction test?. Vet Parasitol (2018) 253:71–8.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.02.004pubmed: 29605007google scholar: lookup
  40. Kaplan RM, Nielsen MK. An evidence-based approach to equine parasite control: it ain't the 60s anymore.. Equine Vet Educ (2010) 22:306–16.
  41. Nápravníková J, Vadlejch J. The Distribution of Family Strongylidae Nematodes in Czech Horse Farms.. 9th Workshop on Biodiversity, Jevany: (2017).
  42. Nielsen MK, Banahan M, Kaplan RM. Importation of macrocyclic lactone resistant cyathostomins on a US thoroughbred farm.. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist (2020) 14:99–104.
  43. Milillo P, Boeckh A, Cobb R, Otranto D, Lia RP, Perrucci S. Faecal cyathostomin egg count distribution and efficacy of anthelmintics against cyathostomins in italy: a matter of geography?. Parasit Vectors (2009) 2:1–7.
    doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S4pmc: PMC2751840pubmed: 19778465google scholar: lookup
  44. Smith G, Grenfell BT, Isham V, Cornell S. Anthelmintic resistance revisited: under-dosing, chemoprophylactic strategies, and mating probabilities.. Int J Parasitol (1999) 29:77–91.
    doi: 10.1016/S0020-7519(98)00186-6pubmed: 10048821google scholar: lookup
  45. Coles GC. The biochemical mode of action of some modern anthelmintics.. Pestic Sci (1977) 8:536–43.
    doi: 10.1002/ps.2780080518google scholar: lookup
  46. Nápravníková J, Petrtýl M, Stupka R, Vadlejch J. Reliability of three common fecal egg counting techniques for detecting strongylid and ascarid infections in horses.. Vet Parasitol (2019) 272:53–7.
    doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2019.07.001pubmed: 31395205google scholar: lookup