ABSTRACT
Groups of sheep were experimentally infected with Fasciola hepatica and treated with nitroxynil at 10 mg/kg given subcutaneously at intervals of up to 70 days later. Effects on fluke burden, weight, morphology, egg production and hatchability were recorded. The results showed that the efficacy of nitroxynil and the occurrence of structurally abnormal flukes were directly proportional to the age of infection at treatment. Treatment also deleteriously affected fluke growth and egg hatchability and reduced faecal egg counts.
Subject(s)
Fasciola hepatica/drug effects , Fascioliasis/veterinary , Nitrophenols/pharmacology , Nitroxinil/pharmacology , Sheep Diseases/parasitology , Animals , Fasciola hepatica/growth & development , Fasciola hepatica/physiology , Fascioliasis/parasitology , Feces/parasitology , Female , Male , Ovary/drug effects , Parasite Egg Count , Sheep , Testis/drug effects , Uterus/drug effectsABSTRACT
Two experiments were carried out to assess the effects of nitroxynil (10 mg/kg p.o.) and rafoxanide (6.7 mg/kg p.o.) against 2,4, 6 or 8 weeks old F. hepatica in rabbits. The results show that the efficacy and incidence of stunted and abnormal surviving flukes were directly related to the age of infection at treatment. Rafoxanide was the more potent compound against immature forms. The testes were the most consistently abnormal reproductive organs in flukes surviving treatment with both drugs and spermatogenesis per se was disrupted.
Subject(s)
Fasciola hepatica/drug effects , Nitrophenols/pharmacology , Nitroxinil/pharmacology , Rafoxanide/pharmacology , Salicylamides/pharmacology , Age Factors , Animals , Antiplatyhelmintic Agents/pharmacology , Fasciola hepatica/anatomy & histology , Fasciola hepatica/growth & development , Male , Rabbits , Spermatogenesis/drug effects , Testis/drug effectsABSTRACT
Eight-weeks old F. hepatica were recovered from rabbits and rats that had been treated with known fasciolicides and anthelmintics between 4 and 40 h previously. Examination of the surviving flukes showed that spermatogenesis was significantly disrupted by most of the fasciolicides but by none of the other anthelmintics. It is suggested that disruption of spermatogenesis is particularly associated with compounds showing activity against mature F. hepatica.