Controlled field study evaluating the clinical efficacy of a topical formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel in the treatment of natural cat aelurostrongylosis.

BACKGROUND: Aelurostrongylus abstrusus is the most important nematode affecting the respiratory tract of cats in terms of prevalence and clinical relevance. The aim of this randomised controlled field study was to confirm the efficacy of the spot-on containing emodepside/praziquantel (Profender, Bayer Animal Health) in the treatment of aelurostrongylosis. METHODS: Seventeen cats with aelurostrongylosis and presenting with clinical and/or radiographic signs were included in the study. Eight cats received two biweekly doses of emodepside/praziquantel, while nine cats were allocated to a control group and received a rescue treatment at the end of the study. Clinical response was the primary outcome, while the secondary end point was the reduction of larval shedding in faeces. RESULTS: Two weeks after the first application, the cats showed a significant, though partial, recovery of clinical signs with complete clinical and parasitological resolution. The resolution of inflammatory leucogram and a significant reduction of radiographic lesions were observed two weeks after the second treatment. Red blood cells and albumin values significantly increased after eight weeks from the second application, together with the complete regression of radiographic patterns. CONCLUSION: Two applications of this spot-on solution two weeks apart assured complete cessation of larval shedding and led to a complete clinical, clinicopathological and radiographic recovery.

Pilot study evaluating the efficacy of a topical formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel in the treatment of natural feline troglostrongylosis.

BACKGROUND: Troglostrongylus brevior, a lungworm usually affecting wild felids, has been recently recorded in a number of cases in domestic cats, mainly in Mediterranean areas. Although feline troglostrongylosis is a severe and life-threatening disease, especially in young cats, treatment options are very limited. The present study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a spot-on formulation containing emodepside 2.1% and praziquantel 8.6% (Profender®, Bayer), which is licensed for treatment of the more common cat lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, for the treatment of natural troglostrongylosis. METHODS: Sixteen cats enrolled in the study were 1:1 allocated to two groups, i.e. Group T, treated with Profender® spot-on on days 0 and 14 (± 2) at the recommended clinical dose, and Group C which remained untreated. After study completion, the control cats received two rescue treatments with Profender® on days 28 (± 2) and 42 (± 2). The primary efficacy criterion was the absence of T. brevior L1 following treatment. Other efficacy parameters were the quantitative comparison of L1 presence before (baseline) and after treatment in both groups, and the comparison of clinical signs pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS: In terms of stopping larval shedding, Profender® showed an efficacy of 97% and 97.5% (arithmetic and geometric means, respectively) for group T, 97.1% and 98.5% for group C after one administration, and 100% for both groups after two doses. Overall, 12 cats showed clinical signs related to T. brevior. Specifically, 9 were clinically affected before treatment while clinical signs appeared after the first treatment in 3 cats. At the end of the study, all symptomatic cats fully recovered with the exception of 3 cats that showed clinical signs similar to those observed at the pre-treatment examination at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that Profender® is effective against T. brevior.

Examination of anonymous canine faecal samples provides data on endoparasite prevalence rates in dogs for comparative studies.

Several endoparasites of dogs cannot only be detrimental to their primary host but might also represent a threat to human health because of their zoonotic potential. Due to their high dog population densities, metropolitan areas can be highly endemic for such parasites. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of endoparasites in dogs in the Austrian capital of Vienna by examining a representative number of canine faecal samples and to compare the prevalences with two neighbouring peri-urban and rural regions. In addition we analysed whether the density of dog populations and cleanliness of dog zones correlated with parasite occurrence. We collected 1001 anonymous faecal samples from 55 dog zones from all 23 districts of the federal state of Vienna, as well as 480 faecal samples from the Mödling district and Wolkersdorf with a peri-urban and rural character, respectively. Faeces were examined by flotation and by Baermann technique. Additionally we evaluated 292 Viennese, 102 peri-urban and 50 rural samples for Giardia and Cryptosporidium by GiardiaFASTest® and CryptoFASTest®. Samples from "clean" dog zones were compared to samples from "dirty" zones. The infection rate of Toxocara was surprisingly low, ranging from 0.6% to 1.9%. Trichuris was the most frequent helminth (1.8-7.5%) and Giardia the most frequent protozoan (4.0-10.8%). Ancylostomatidae, Crenosoma, Capillaria, Taeniidae, Cystoisospora and Sarcocystis were found in 1.8-2.2%, 0-0.9%, 0-0.9%, 0-0.6%, 0.3-3.1% and 0-0.6% of the samples, respectively. Samples from "dirty" dog zones in Vienna showed a significantly higher rate of parasites overall (p=0.003) and of Trichuris (p=0.048) compared to samples from "clean" dog zones. There were no statistically significant differences in densely vs. less densely populated areas of Vienna. Samples from the rural region of Wolkersdorf had significantly higher overall parasite, Trichuris and Cystoisospora prevalences than the peri-urban Mödling district and Vienna (p=0.000-0.039), while samples from the Mödling district had a significantly higher Giardia, Crenosoma and Capillaria prevalence than those from Vienna (p=0.002-0.047). Parasite excretion is dynamic and representative sampling and monitoring are necessary for parasite surveillance. Dog owners should be informed about the zoonotic risk and encouraged to remove dog faeces and dispose of them properly to reduce the infection risk for both other dogs and humans.

Prevalence of helminth and coccidian parasites in Swedish outdoor cats and the first report of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus in Sweden: a coprological investigation.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed in order to gather recent epidemiological data on feline endoparasites in Swedish cats. Faecal samples from 205 outdoor cats were collected by their owners and submitted to the National Veterinary Institute for analysis. The study population was comprised of cats with access to an outdoor environment and with no history of anthelmintic treatment within the last 3 months. Intestinal parasites were detected with a centrifugal flotation technique and Baermann larval sedimentation was performed to detect metastrongylid lungworms. Eggs, larvae and oocysts were identified morphologically by microscopic examination. The following information was collected from cat owners: breed, sex, age, anthelminthic medication last used, observation of cestode proglottids and residential address. RESULTS: Endoparasites were detected in 25% of samples. Eggs of Toxocara cati were found in 21% of samples, followed by taeniid eggs (4%), oocysts of Cystoisospora felis/C. rivolta and capillarid eggs (both 1%). One cat tested positive for Toxoplasma gondii-like oocysts. Larvae of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus were detected in one cat, which is the first published observation of this parasite in Sweden. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of intestinal parasites is rather high in outdoor cats in Sweden, which could indicate the need for more intensive deworming routines in the population. Clinical practitioners should be aware of the possible occurence of A. abstrusus in Swedish cats when considering potential causes of respiratory problems in cats in the future.

Small rodents as paratenic or intermediate hosts of carnivore parasites in Berlin, Germany.

Rodents are important intermediate and paratenic hosts for carnivore parasites, including the important zoonotic agents Toxoplasma, Echinococcus and Toxocara. Monitoring of such parasites in rodents can be used to detect increasing risks for human and veterinary public health. Rodents were trapped at four sites in Berlin, two near the city center, two at the periphery. PCRs were conducted to detect Coccidia (target ITS-1) and specifically Toxoplasma gondii (repetitive element) in brain and ascarids (ITS-2) in muscle or brain tissue. During necropsies, metacestodes were collected and identified using ITS-2 and 12S rRNA PCRs. An ELISA to detect antibodies against Toxocara canis ES antigens was performed. Within the 257 examined rodents, the most frequently observed parasite was Frenkelia glareoli predominantly found in Myodes glareolus. T. gondii was only detected in 12 rodents and Microtus spp. (although strongly underrepresented) had a significantly increased chance of being positive. Neither Echinococcus nor typical Taenia parasites of dogs and cats were found but Mesocestoides litteratus and Taenia martis metacestodes were identified which can cause severe peritoneal or ocular cysticercosis in dogs, primates and humans. Using PCR, the ascarids T. canis (n = 8), Toxocara cati (4) and Parascaris sp. (1) were detected predominantly in muscles. Seroprevalence of T. canis was 14.2% and ELISA was thus more sensitive than PCR to detect infection with this parasite. Non-parametric multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis revealed that parasite communities could be grouped into an urban and a peri-urban cluster with high frequency of ascarid-positive rodents in urban and high frequency of F. glareoli in peri-urban sites. Prevalence rates of parasites in rodents with potential impact for human or veterinary public health are considerable and the monitoring of transmission cycles of carnivore parasites in intermediate rodent hosts is recommended to estimate the health risks arising from wild and domesticated carnivores.

Efficacy of Emodepside/Praziquantel Spot-on (Profender®) against adult Aelurostrongylus abstrusus Nematodes in Experimentally Infected Cats.

The adulticidal efficacy of a topical combination of emodepside 2.1 % (w/v) plus praziquantel 8.6 % (w/v) (Profender® spot-on for cats, Bayer) against adult Aelurostrongylus abstrusus nematodes was evaluated in two randomised, placebo-controlled laboratory efficacy studies. Each study involved 16 cats experimentally inoculated with L3 (800 and 600 each in studies no. 1 and 2, respectively) and randomised into two study groups of 8 cats each after onset of patency. While cats in the treatment group in study no. 1 received a single spot-on application at the minimum therapeutic dose (3 mg/kg emodepside and 12 mg/kg praziquantel), cats in study no. 2 were treated twice with an interval of 14 days. The faecal output of first stage larvae was monitored throughout the study. Necropsy was conducted 4 or 5 weeks after the (first) treatment and the worm counts were used for efficacy calculations. The control groups showed a geometric mean of the total worm count (live and dead worms) of 28.8 (study no. 1) and 17.6 (study no. 2), respectively. All control animals were infected. While the single treatment in study no. 1 resulted in a reduction of the total worm burden by 73.0 % (p = 0.0070), the treatment protocol in study no. 2 was 99.2 % effective (p = 0.0035). Based on live worm counts, the efficacy in study no. 2 was 100 % (p = 0.0030). It is concluded that two applications of Profender® spot-on given two weeks apart represent a safe and highly efficacious treatment regime against feline aelurostrongylosis.

Prevention of Lactogenic Toxocara cati Infections in Kittens by Application of an Emodepside/Praziquantel Spot-on (Profender®) to the Pregnant Queen.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an emodepside 2.1 % (w/v)/praziquantel 8.6 % (w/v) topical solution (Profender® spot-on for cats) in the prevention of lactogenic Toxocara cati infections. A controlled test was performed with two groups of 8 cats with confirmed pregnancy. All cats were infected with daily doses of 2000 T. cati eggs for 10 consecutive days starting 50 days post conception to produce an acute infection. Treatment was performed 60 days post conception. Queens in the treatment group received the emodepside/praziquantel solution at the minimum therapeutic dose (3 mg/kg emodepside and 12 mg/kg praziquantel), while the control group was treated with a placebo spot-on. Efficacy was evaluated 56 days post partum by necropsy of one randomly selected kitten of each litter and comparison of the worm burdens between the study groups. Additionally the necropsy results were supported by quantification of worms expelled with the faeces after deworming of the remaining kittens and all queens. The treatment in late pregnancy resulted in an efficacy of 98.7 % (p < 0.0001). All necropsied control kittens were infected (geometric mean 30.6). Seven of 8 kittens from treated mothers were free of T. cati (geometric mean 0.4). Worm counts after deworming reflected the results obtained at necropsy. No side effects of the treatment were observed. It is concluded that treatment with an emodepside/praziquantel spot-on solution during late pregnancy effectively prevents lactogenic transmission of T. cati to the offspring. The study design facilitated the generation of reliable data, while at the same time a minimum number of animals was sacrificed.

Age-dependant prevalence of endoparasites in young dogs and cats up to one year of age.

The results of parasitological examination of faecal samples from 1,206 cats and 2,319 dogs of known age up to one year were analysed. Eggs of Toxocara canis were detected in dogs for the first time at the beginning of the 3rd week, oocysts of Isospora spp. and cysts of Giardia spp. at the beginning of the 4th week p.p. High infection rates with Giardia spp. (52.5 %) were demonstrated in the 12th week, I. canis (30.0 %) in the 15th week, I. ohioensis complex (44.0 %) in the 6th week, Isospora spp. (50.0 %) in the 7th week and T. canis (22.2 %) in the 4th week p.p. Co-infections with Isospora spp. + Giardia spp. (28.0 %), T. canis + Isospora spp. 16.0 %) and T. canis + Giardia spp. (12.0 %) were mainly seen in the 6th week p.p. In cats, oocysts of Isospora spp. and cysts of Giardia spp. were seen from the 3rd week and eggs of Toxocara cati from the 5th week p.p. High infection rates with Giardia spp. (66.7 %) were demonstrated in the 11th week, Isospora spp. (33.3 %) and I. felis (33.3 %) in the 15th week, I. rivolta (10.3 %) in the 10th week and T. cati (11.4 %) in the 8th week p.p. Co-infections with T. cati + Isospora spp. (9.1 %) were found in the 5th week, Isospora spp. + Giardia spp. (8.2 %) in the 12th week and T. cati + Giardia spp. (2.5 %) in the 22nd week p.p.

Comparative efficacy of a spot-on formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel (Profender ®, Bayer) and praziquantel and pyrantel oral tablets (Drontal ® for Cats) against experimental Ancylostoma ceylanicum infections in cats.

Ancylostoma ceylanicum is a common zoonotic hookworm of dogs and cats throughout Asia and has also been reported to occur within the Australasian region. The aim of this study to was to determine the efficacy of a spot-on formulation containing emodepside and praziquantel (Profender(®), Bayer) and praziquantel and pyrantel oral tablets (Drontal(®) for Cats, Bayer) against experimental A. ceylanicum infections in cats. Twenty-four kittens were each subcutaneously injected with 100 infective third-stage larvae of A. ceylanicum. Kittens were stratified by egg count and randomly allocated equally into control and two treatment groups. The first group were treated with emodepside 2.1%/praziquantel 8.6% (Profender®, Bayer) at the recommended label dose. The second group was treated with 80 mg pyrantel and 20mg praziquantel (Drontal(®) for Cats, Bayer) at the recommended label dose. The kittens in the control group were not treated. Egg counts were performed daily until the end of the study period and compared for the treated and control groups. No eggs were detected in the treated group of kittens within 4 days of treatment and faecal samples from this group remained negative throughout the rest of the study, resulting in a treatment efficacy (egg reduction) of 100% (P<0.0001). The egg counts remained high (993 ± 666 epg) in the untreated control group for the rest of the study period. This study demonstrated that both combination products containing topical emodepside/praziquantel (Profender(®), Bayer) and praziquantel/pyrantel oral tablets (Drontal(®) for Cats, Bayer) given at the recommended dose is highly effective against infection with A. ceylanicum in cats.

Treatment of third-stage larvae of Toxocara cati with milbemycin oxime plus praziquantel tablets and emodepside plus praziquantel spot-on formulation in experimentally infected cats.

Toxocara cati is the most prevalent gastrointestinal helminth in cats worldwide, with cats of all ages at risk of infection. An anthelminthic treatment that not only affects the gut-dwelling stages of this parasite but is also effective against developmental stages in the tissue has the advantage that the pathology caused by migrating larvae is minimized and the need for repeated treatments is reduced. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of milbemycin oxime/praziquantel tablets (Milbemax®, Novartis) against third-stage larvae of T. cati in comparison to a spot-on formulation of emodepside and praziquantel (Profender®, Bayer). Twenty-four kittens were experimentally infected with T. cati and randomly allocated to three study groups. Treatments were performed at the minimum therapeutic dosage 5 days after the experimental infection. The development of patent infections was monitored and all cats were dewormed 50 days post-infection. Efficacies were calculated based on counts of excreted worms in the treated groups compared to a negative control group. Seven of the eight cats in the negative control group developed a patent T. cati infection and all cats were excreting worms at the end of the study (geometric mean worm count 18.1). No efficacy could be observed for the milbemycin oxime-treated animals. All cats developed a patent infection and excreted worms (geometric mean worm count 27.7). The treatment with Profender® was 98.5 % effective against L3 of T. cati. One cat developed a patent infection and was excreting worms at the end of the study (geometric mean worm count 0.3). No adverse reactions were noted in either treatment group.

Efficacy of a combination of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 2.5% spot-on (Advocate® for dogs) in the prevention of canine spirocercosis (Spirocerca lupi).

The nematode Spirocerca lupi is a major canine parasite in warm regions of the world, classically causing parasitic nodules in the esophagus, aortic aneurysms, and spondylitis. This study evaluated the preventive efficacy of monthly treatment with imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 2.5% spot-on (Advocate® for dogs) administered over a period of 9 months in young dogs naturally exposed to S. lupi on Réunion island. One hundred and twelve puppies, aged from 2.0 to 4.0 months and with a negative spirocerca fecal examination at inclusion, completed the study. They were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A puppies (n=58) received nine spot-on treatments with Advocate® at the minimum dose of 2.5 mg moxidectin/kg bw at monthly intervals. Control group B puppies (n=54) received no treatment for S. lupi. During the study, regular clinical and fecal examinations were performed, as was final upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Endoscopy showed that 19 dogs from group B had spirocerca nodules, corresponding to a prevalence of 35.2% in dogs aged 12 to 14 months. In contrast, only one dog from group A had a nodule, corresponding to a preventive efficacy of 94.7% (p<0.0001). None of the 378 fecal examinations were positive for spirocerca. This study confirms a high prevalence of canine spirocercosis on Réunion and shows that infestation occurs in very young puppies. Furthermore, it demonstrates that monthly spot-on administration of a combination of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 2.5% (Advocate® for dogs) in puppies starting at the age of 2 to 4 months achieves effective and safe prevention of canine spirocercosis.

Efficacy of a combination product containing pyrantel, febantel and praziquantel (Drontal Plus Flavour, Bayer Animal Health) against experimental infection with the hookworm Ancylostoma ceylanicum in dogs.

Ancylostoma ceylanicum is a common hookworm of dogs, cats and humans in Asia. More recently, this hookworm was found to infect dogs in Australia. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a combination product containing pyrantel, febantel and praziquantel (Drontal) Plus Flavour, Bayer) against A. ceylanicum in experimentally infected dogs. Twelve dogs were each subcutaneously injected with 300 infective third-stage larvae of A. ceylanicum. Pups were stratified by egg count and randomly allocated equally into control and treatment groups. The pups in the treatment group were treated orally at 20 days post-infection with a tablet containing pyrantel, febantel and praziquantel (Drontal Plus Flavour, Bayer) with the recommended dose of one tablet per 10 kg bodyweight. The dogs in the control group were not treated. Egg counts were performed daily until the end of the study period and compared for the treated and control groups. No eggs were detected in the treated group of pups within 3 days of treatment, and faecal samples from this group remained negative throughout the rest of the study resulting in a treatment efficacy (egg reduction) of 100% (p = 0.0011). The egg counts for the untreated group remained high for the rest of the study period. This trial demonstrated that a combination tablet containing pyrantel, febantel and praziquantel (Drontal Plus Flavour, Bayer) given at the manufacturer's recommended dose is effective against infection with A. ceylanicum in dogs.

Treatment and prevention of vertical transmission of Toxocara cati in cats with an emodepside/praziquantel spot-on formulation.

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of emodepside 2.14%/praziquantel 8.58% topical solution (Profender, Bayer) in the prevention and treatment of lactogenic Toxocara cati infections. Eight pregnant cats were orally infected with T. cati eggs during late pregnancy. Four queens were treated on day 60 post conception and four queens were left untreated. The kittens of two untreated queens were treated 28 days after birth. The two other negative control litters were left untreated. The efficacy of emodepside was determined by faecal egg counts. While faecal samples of queens and litters in the control group became positive for T. cati, egg shedding was completely prevented in all four treated queens, in their litters and in the kittens from the two litters which were treated four weeks after birth. The untreated mothers of the latter stayed also coproscopically negative, which might be explained by an oral uptake of emodepside through grooming. The treatment was well tolerated by pregnant queens as well as by four-weeks-old kittens.To our knowledge, this is the first publication that focuses on the prevention of lactogenic transmission of T. cati.

Efficacy and safety of emodepside 2.1%/praziquantel 8.6% spot-on formulation in the treatment of feline aelurostrongylosis.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the antiparasitic spot-on formulation containing emodepside 2.1%/praziquantel 8.6% (Profender, Bayer) in the treatment of natural feline infection with the lungworm Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (Nematoda, Strongylida). Efficacy of Profender given once at the licensed dose was tested in comparison to a control oral formulation containing fenbendazole 18.75% (Panacur, Intervet) given over three consecutive days at the licensed dose. Efficacy assessment was based on larvae per gramme of faeces (LPG) counts, measured on days 28 +/- 2 following treatment and compared to counts on days -6 to -2. In total 24 cats treated either with Profender (n = 12) or with Panacur (n = 12) were included in the assessment of efficacy and safety. Mean LPG post-baseline counts (days 28 +/- 2) were 1.3 LPG for both Profender and Panacur, demonstrating similar efficacy of 99.38% for Profender and 99.29% for the control product. No treated animals showed adverse events. This trial demonstrated that both Profender spot-on formulation and oral paste Panacur are safe and effective in the treatment of aelurotrongylosis in cats. Future practical perspectives in feline medicine and the major advantages of the spot-on product compared to the oral paste are discussed.

Treatment of naturally occurring, asymptomatic Giardia sp. in dogs with Drontal Plus flavour tablets.

The administration of three consecutive daily doses of the recommended 1x dose of Drontal Plus flavour tablets (Bayer) was examined for its effect on Giardia sp. cyst-shedding in 7 treated and 7 untreated random-source dogs. Dogs were treated on study days 0, 1 and 2. Cysts were quantified using direct immunofluorescent labelling on days -7, -5, -3 and -2, and daily from day 1 through 11. Three treated dogs never shed cysts again during the study, one shed again only on day 4, and the remaining three dogs started to shed again on days 8, 9 and 11. The mean numbers of cysts per gramme in the faeces of the treated dogs were significantly reduced (t-tests using log(10)(counts)) on days 1 and 2 (geometric means: controls = 447,000; treated = 1,050; p = 0.004) and days 3 to 8 (geometric means: controls = 23,400; treated 5.0; p < 0.001). Four controls that had been consistently positive, changed to negative status on day 11, and thus, on the final day of the trial, there were only three positive control and three positive treated dogs. Three consecutive days of treatment with Drontal Plus flavour tablets halted Giardia sp. cyst shedding by dogs. But starting six days post third treatment, some of the dogs started shedding cysts again. Since the prepatent period of Giardia sp. can be as short as 4 days, shedding of Giardia sp. cysts 6 days after treatment could be caused by a reinfection.