Cytokine and goblet cell gene expression in equine cyathostomin infection and larvicidal anthelmintic therapy.

AIMS: The role of the immune response to cyathostomin infections in horses remains unknown. Intestinal goblet cell hyperplasia has previously been noted as a component in cyathostomin infection; however, the function is unclear. The goal of this study was to evaluate the local and systemic gene expression to cyathostomin infections following larvicidal treatment and explore their relation to goblet cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-six ponies with naturally acquired cyathostomin infections were randomly allocated into three groups: fenbendazole-treated (10 mg/kg PO 5 days), moxidectin-treated (0.4 mg/kg PO once) and untreated control. Whole blood from all horses was collected weekly, and tissue samples from the large intestine collected during necropsy at 2 and 5 weeks post-treatment (WPT). Gene expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-22, IFN-γ, resistin-like molecule beta (RELM-ß), Mucin 2 (MUC2) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α was measured using qRT-PCR. There were statistically significant linear correlations between luminal worm burdens and MUC2 (r = -.2358) and RELM-ß (r = -.2261). CONCLUSION: This suggests an active role of immune system post-treatment in parasite expulsion, specifically in goblet cells, and that the organs respond differently to treatment and the larvae themselves. This may have implications in the disease process and treatment.

The saprophytic fungus Fusarium solani increases the insecticidal efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema diaprepesi.

In two field surveys, high proportions of Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) sentinel larval cadavers were infected by Fusarium solani without evidence of concomitant entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) or entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) reproduction. Because F. solani is not considered entomopathogenic, the survey suggested the possibility that F. solani competes with EPNs. We tested the hypotheses that F. solani attracts the EPN, Steinernema diaprepesi, to facilitate infection of Diaprepes root weevils (Diaprepes abbreviatus L.) and thereafter competes with the nematode in the insect cadaver. In two-choice olfactometer assays where one side was treated with F. solani mycelia and conidia, juvenile S. diaprepesi were attracted to the fungus, in either raw soil, or in autoclaved soil in the presence or absence of insects. However, this attraction was attenuated as the habitat became more complex, by using raw soil in combination with insect larvae. Fusarium oxysporum did not recruit the nematode. When soil microcosms were tested with F. solani conidia and S. diaprepesi, the concomitant infection increased the mortality of the insect (P = 0.02) to 83%, compared to 58% and 0% mortality when nematodes or fungi were individually applied, respectively. Concomitant inoculation also increased the number of cadavers that supported nematode reproduction and increased the population density of fungus in soil. The number of IJs entering the host insect was not affected by F. solani. These results support the possibility that F. solani can facilitate the insecticidal efficiency of S. diaprepesi in order to exploit the resources in the cadaver.

Practical and low cost whole-organism motility assay: A step-by-step protocol.

Here, we provide a step-by-step protocol for a practical and low cost whole-organism assay for the screening of chemical compounds for activity against parasitic worms. This assay has considerable advantages over conventional methods, mainly in relation to ease of use, throughput, time and cost. It is readily suited to the screening of hundreds to thousands of compounds for subsequent hit-to-lead optimisation, and should be applicable to many different parasites and other organisms commensurate with the size of wells in the microtiter plates used for phenotypic screening.

Efficacy of selected anthelmintic drugs against cyathostomins in horses in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany.

Cyathostomins are currently the most common internal parasites of horses. With the intensive use of anthelmintic drugs over the past decades, resistance of cyathostomins to anthelmintics is becoming a growing problem in many countries. The aim of this study was to assess the current situation on horse farms in the German federal state of Brandenburg. A pre-selected population of horses from 24 premises that had shown a prevalence of cyathostomins higher than the average in a previous study was examined for anthelmintic efficacy. Faecal egg count reduction tests (FECRTs) were performed for ivermectin (IVM) and pyrantel (PYR). For IVM, the egg reappearance period (ERP) was also examined, as a shortened ERP can be indicative of developing resistance. The efficacy of IVM on cyathostomins was high: 99.1 % of 224 horses had a zero egg count 14 days after treatment. No shortening of the ERP was detected. For the data of the FECRT for PYR, three different methods of calculation were employed: (a) the method as recommended by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP), (b) a bootstrapping method and (c) a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Two methods of interpretation for these data were used: Resistance was declared (a) when FECR was <90 % and the lower 95 % confidence interval (LCL) <80 % and (b) when additionally the upper 95 % confidence level (UCL) was <95 %. When applying the first interpretation, resistance against PYR was found on four yards, while, when considering the UCL, all three methods for calculation only detected resistance on one single yard. Twelve species of cyathostomins were detected in larval cultures derived from strongyle egg positive faecal samples collected 14 days after treatment with PYR by reverse line blot hybridization (RLB). In order to generate comparable data, it is suggested to establish international standards for the calculation of FECRT data.

Observations on development of natural infection and species composition of small strongyles in young equids in Kentucky.

Early development and maturation of species of small strongyles have not been studied extensively. Most information is on the first appearance of strongyle eggs in feces of foals. However, species cannot be determined in this manner because of similarity of the morphological features of the eggs. To determine more definitive knowledge on development and species composition of natural infections of small strongyles, eight equid foals were necropsied and examined at various ages (31 to 92 days of age). The entire contents of the large intestine were examined, and all worms (6,671) recovered were identified. This was done to recover small strongyle specimens in an effort to find the stage of development of the worms for different time periods. The primary interest was to obtain data on the potential prepatent period. A total of 17 species of small strongyles were recovered. The earliest gravid female was Cylicostephanus longibursatus in a 57-day-old foal; then Cylicostephanus goldi was positive at 64 days, Cyathostomum catinatum at 68 days, Coronocyclus coronatus and Cylicostephanus calicatus at 70 days, Coronocyclus labiatus, Cylicocyclus leptostomus, Cylicocyclus nassatus, Cylicostephanus hybridus, and Cylicostephanus minutus at 74 days, and Cylicostephanus bidentatus at 92 days. While it is not known exactly when the foals began eating pasture vegetation (typically they begin to graze a short time after birth) and first ate infective free-living third-stage larvae, the results give an indication of the natural prepatent period of several species of small strongyles. Additional data are presented on the number of worms per foal, distribution of the worms in the parts (cecum, ventral colon, and dorsal colon) of the large intestine, and proportion of species found.

Optimizing protease production from an isolate of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans using response surface methodology and its larvicidal activity on horse cyathostomins.

Protease production from Duddingtonia flagrans (isolate AC001) was optimized and the larvicidal activity of the enzymatic extract was evaluated on infective horse cyathostomin larvae (L3). Duddingtonia flagrans was grown in liquid medium with eight different variables: glucose, casein, bibasic potassium phosphate (K2HPO4), magnesium sulphate (MgSO4), zinc sulphate (ZnSO4), ferrous sulphate (FeSO4), copper sulphate (CuSO4) and temperature. The Plackett-Burman analysis showed a significant influence of MgSO4, CuSO4 and casein (P < 0.05) on protease production by D. flagrans in liquid medium. Central composite design indicated that the highest proteolytic activity was 39.56 U/ml as a function of the concentrations of casein (18.409 g/l), MgSO4 (0.10 g/l) and CuSO4 (0.50 mg/l). A significant difference (P < 0.01) was found for the larval number between the treated and control groups at the end of the experiment. A reduction of 95.46% in the number of free-living larvae was found in the treated group compared with the control. The results of this study suggest that protease production by D. flagrans (AC001) in liquid medium was optimized by MgSO4, CuSO4 and casein, showing that the optimized enzymatic extract exerted larvicidal activity on cyathostomins and therefore may contribute to large-scale industrial production.

Efficacy of eprinomectin pour-on treatment in sheep naturally infected with Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus.

The efficacy of eprinomectin on Dictyocaulus filaria and Cystocaulus ocreatus in naturally infected sheep was evaluated in the present study. In total, 30 infected sheep were randomly divided into two groups: treated (n = 15) and untreated (n = 15). A single pour-on dose of eprinomectin (0.5 mg/kg) was administered to the treated group. No medication was used in the untreated group. Faecal larval counts were performed on pre-treatment (day 0) and post-treatment (days 7, 14, 21 and 42) days. Eprinomectin was found to be 100% effective against D. filaria on day 7 post-treatment when compared with the untreated group and it maintained this effect on days 14, 21 and 42. However, the decrease in faecal larval count of C. ocreatus was found to be 86, 86 and 91%, on days 14, 21 and 42, respectively.

Survey of anthelmintic resistance in a Romanian horse stud using three different methods.

Resistance of cyathostomins to benzimidazole (BZ) anthelmintics is widespread in horses in many parts of the world. This study compared three methods for the determination of benzimidazole resistance of Cyathostominae in 18 horses from a stud farm in Romania. The horses were treated with Fenbendazole. The resistance test was performed by FECRT, ERP and PCR. On Day 0, larvae of species belonging to the Cyathostominae subfamily, types A, B, C, D and Gyalocephalus, as well as Strongylus vulgaris species of the Strongylinae subfamily, were identified. At 42 days post treatment with fenbendazole only larvae of Cyathostominae, types A and D were identified. Resistance to Fenbendazole was found in one horse, using the FECRT and ERP tests. Both genetic resistance and susceptibility to BZ anthelmintics was observed in 13 samples (72.22%) using the PCR test. However, three samples (16.67%) showed only the BZ-susceptibility gene. In 2 samples, (11.11%) only the resistance gene to BZ anthelmintics was identified. Several inconsistencies in the evidence of resistance to benzimidazole were observed between the PCR test and the other two methods, which indicates that several methods for determining and controlling the resistance should be used in practice.

Multiple resistance in equine cyathostomins: a case study from military establishments in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Semi-intensive equine breeding system favors gastrointestinal nematode infections. The treatment of these infections is based on the use of anthelmintics. However, the inappropriate use of these drugs has led to parasitic resistance to the available active principles. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the main classes of antiparasitic (ATP) used in control in adult and young animals, including: benzimidazoles (fenbendazole), pyrimidines (pyrantel pamoate), macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin), as well as the combination of active ingredients (ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate). The study was carried out in two military establishments, located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), from January to December, 2018. The intervals between the treatments of the animals were performed from 30 to 90 days. Coproparasitological evaluations were determined by the egg count reduction in the faeces. Cyatostomine larvae were identified in pre and post-treatment cultures. The results demonstrated the multiple parasitic resistance of cyathostomins to fenbendazole, moxidectin in young animals, and to fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate in adult animals. Thus, it is necessary to define or diagnose parasitic resistance to assist in the creation of prophylactic parasitic control, using suppressive treatment with ATP associated with integrated alternatives. The progress of parasitic resistance can be slowed.

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.

Managing anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin parasites: Investigating the benefits of refugia-based strategies.

Selective anthelmintic therapy has been recommended as a sustainable strategy for cyathostomin control in horse populations for several decades. The traditional approach has been to determine strongyle fecal egg counts (FEC) for all horses, with treatment only recommended for those exceeding a predetermined threshold. The aims are to achieve a reduction of overall egg shedding, while leaving a proportion of the herd untreated, which lowers anthelmintic treatment intensity and reduces selection pressure for development of anthelmintic resistance. This study made use of the cyathostomin model to evaluate the influence of treatment strategies with between 1 and 8 yearly treatment occasions, where either 1) all horses were treated, 2) a predetermined proportion of the herd remained untreated, or 3) horses were treated if their FEC exceeded thresholds between 100 and 600 strongyle eggs per gram. Weather data representing four different climatic zones was used and three different herd age structures were compared; 1) all yearlings, 2) all mature horses 10-20 years old, and 3) a mixed age structure of 1-20 years of age. Results indicated a consistent effect of age structure, with anthelmintic resistance developing quickest in the yearling group and slowest among the mature horses. Development of anthelmintic resistance was affected by treatment intensity and selective therapy generally delayed resistance. Importantly, the results suggest that the effects of selective therapy on resistance development are likely to vary between climatic zones and herd age structures. Overall, a substantial delaying of resistance development requires that the average number of treatments administered annually across a herd of horses needs to be about two or less. However, results also indicate that an age-structured prioritisation of treatment to younger horses should still be effective. It appears that a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to the management of anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomins is unlikely to be optimal.

Development of amplicon sequencing for the analysis of benzimidazole resistance allele frequencies in field populations of gastrointestinal nematodes.

Anthelmintic resistant gastrointestinal helminths have become a major cause of poor health in sheep and goats. Sensitive and specific molecular markers are needed to monitor the genotypic frequency of resistance in field parasite populations. Gastrointestinal nematode resistance to benzimidazole is caused by a mutation in one of three positions within the isotype 1 ß-tubulin gene. In the absence of markers for resistance to the other broad spectrum anthelmintic classes, these provide a relevant study example. Determination of the prevalence of these single nucleotide polymorphisms in field nematode populations can be impractical using conventional molecular methods to examine individual parasites; which can be laborious and lack sensitivity in determining low levels of resistance in parasite populations. Here, we report the development of a novel method based on an Illumina MiSeq deep amplicon sequencing platform to sequence the isotype 1 ß-tubulin locus of the small ruminant gastrointestinal nematode, Teladorsagia circumcincta, and determine the frequency of the benzimidazole resistance mutations. We validated the method by assessing sequence representation bias, comparing the results of Illumina MiSeq and pyrosequencing, and applying the method to populations containing known proportions of resistant and susceptible larvae. We applied the method to field samples collected from ewes and lambs on over a period of one year on three farms, each highlighting different aspects of sheep management and approaches to parasite control. The results show opportunities to build hypotheses with reference to selection pressures leading to differences in resistance allele frequencies between sampling dates, farms and ewes or lambs, and to consider the impact of their genetic fixation or otherwise. This study provides proof of concept of a practical, accurate, sensitive and scalable method to determine frequency of anthelmintic resistance mutations in gastrointestinal nematodes in field studies and as a management tool for livestock farmers.

Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds.

BACKGROUND: Endoparasites are considered a major health problem of South American camelids as shown in a recent survey among German and Austrian camelid owners. Although prophylactic and therapeutic measures such as application of anthelmintics are commonly used, treatment efficacy is usually not assessed. Owners have expressed significant concerns regarding the effect of antiparasitic therapy, so this study aimed to evaluate the outcome of anthelmintic treatment in German alpaca herds with different drugs. RESULTS: Overall, 617 samples from 538 clinically healthy alpacas > 1 year-old from 27 farms (n = 11-157 animals/herd) were examined. The most common parasites detected by flotation were Eimeria spp. (75.1%) followed by strongylids (55.0%), Nematodirus spp. (19.3%), cestodes (3.1%) and Trichuris (2.7%). After initial coproscopical examination by flotation and strongylid egg quantification by the McMaster technique, positive animals excreting at least 150 eggs per gram of faeces were included in a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) using fenbendazole (n = 71 samples), moxidectin (n = 71) or monepantel (n = 66). Pre-treatment larval cultures (n = 23 positive pooled farm samples) revealed Haemonchus (87% of the farms), Cooperia (43.5%), Trichostrongylus (21.7%), Ostertagia (13.0%), Nematodirus and Oesophagostomum (4.3% each). Fenbendazole treatment reduced egg excretion by 45%, moxidectin by 91% and monepantel by 96%. On the farm level, 13/18 farms that used fenbendazole, 6/6 farms that used moxidectin and 2/5 farms that used monepantel had individual FECR values < 90% (fenbendazole) or < 95% (moxidectin, monepantel). Haemonchus and Cooperia were overrepresented on the farms with reduced treatment efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: Gastrointestinal strongylids are common in German alpacas and fenbendazole in particular was not sufficiently effective to reduce strongylid egg excretion. Although the FECRT could not unambiguously determine anthelmintic resistance in the present study, the finding that small ruminant strongylids, especially Haemonchus, are common in alpacas indicates that determination of effective anthelmintic doses, monitoring of efficacy and adapted (selective) treatment regimens must be implemented as part of sustainable deworming practices in this species in accordance with recommendations for ruminants.

Evaluation of the anthelminthic potential of Duranta erecta L. (Verbenaceae) fruits used in Nigerian ethnomedicine as a vermifuge.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Duranta erecta L. fruits have been reported to have in vitro anthelminthic properties. People living in the tropical South-Eastern part of Nigeria use the plant in folk medicine for the treatment of malaria, abscesses and as a vermifuge. Although there are a few reports about its in vitro anthelminthic activity against different worm categories, scientific reports regarding its in vivo anthelminthic activity are limited. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was designed with the aim of determining the potential of the plant as an anthelminthic and to verify the claims made by its local users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Acute toxicity of the plant extract was determined using Lorke's method. Anthelminthic activity was investigated using adult male albino mice experimentally infected with Heligmosomoides bakeri infective L3. Graded ascending doses of the plant extract and Albendazole respectively were orally administered to the mice in the infected groups. Corprological and haematological parameters were recorded within the study period. Twenty-eight (28) days post-infection, all infected mice were humanely sacrificed and the Post-Mortem Adult Worm Burden (WB) was estimated and recorded. RESULTS: The results showed that the extract had an LD50 greater than 5000 mg/kg BW and therefore was not acutely toxic for oral use. It also showed that the plant extract was unable to eliminate the faecal egg output or adult worms in the gastrointestinal tract of infected animals even at the high doses used in the study. This was in contrast to Albendazole which significantly (p < .05) reduced faecal egg counts and worm burdens by 71% and 92% respectively in treated mice. Following infection, there was anaemia in all infected groups seen from results of erythrocytic parameters. Treatment with the plant extract, regardless of the dose, was unable to effectively reverse the effect of parasite infection on erythrocytic parameters. However, treatment with Albendazole positively reversed the anaemia, restoring the mice to pre-infection values by the end of the experiment. The results showed significant (p < .05) increase in WBC counts across all groups following infection with the parasite. Treatment with the plant extract and Albendazole respectively, significantly (p < .05) reduced the WBC counts to near pre-infection values in most treatment groups. CONCLUSION: As a result of the poor anthelminthic effects recorded in the study, it is therefore recommended that Duranta erecta L. fruits be explored for its other useful effects rather than as an anthelminthic.

Diagnosis of resistance alleles in codon 167 of the beta-tubulin (Cya-tbb-1) gene from third-stage larvae of horse cyathostomins.

Anthelmintic resistance is a serious problem for the control of equine gastrointestinal nematodes. In the present survey, 173 third stage larvae of cyathostomins were investigated from three different locations for the presence of the resistant genotype at codon 167 of the beta-tubulin gene, as this is the most prevalent mutation. The larvae from the state of Parana (n=67), Sao Paulo (n=54) and Santa Catarina (n=52), showed 61.2; 31.5 and 38.5% of the heterozygous resistant genotype - TTC/TAC, respectively. An unpublished mutation at codon 172 that results in a serine (S) to threonine (T) substitution was found in 17.9% (12/67) of samples from Parana; and 13.0% (7/54) of samples from Sao Paulo. We have compared the molecular diagnostic with the fecal egg count data (R2=-0.79) from the same farms, and consider that the use of routine molecular diagnostic in individual larva may help to determine the population genetic distribution that is associated with drug failure.

Papaya latex supernatant has a potent effect on the free-living stages of equid cyathostomins in vitro.

The control of equid gastrointestinal nematodes in developed countries, in particular the cyathostomins, is threatened by high levels of anthelmintic resistance. In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the evaluation of traditional 'ethnoveterinary' medicines as alternatives to chemical anthelmintics. The cysteine proteinases (CPs), a group of enzymes derived from fruits such as papaya (Carica papaya), pineapple (Ananas comosus) and figs (Ficus spp.), have shown good efficacy against adult stages of a range of parasitic nematodes, in vitro and in vivo. The efficacy of CPs against cyathostomins remains to be explored. In this study, the efficacy of a crude preparation of CPs, papaya latex supernatant (PLS), against the free-living stages of cyathostomins was evaluated using two in vitro tests, the egg hatch test (EHT) and the larval migration inhibition test (LMIT). It was demonstrated that PLS had a potent effect in the EHT, with EC-50 values in the range of 0.12-0.22µM. At concentrations above 6.25µM the eggs did not develop, below this concentration the L1 developed but they lost integrity of the cuticle upon hatching. These effects were inhibited by pre-incubation of PLS with the CP inhibitor L-trans-epoxysuccinyl-l-leucylamido-(4-guanidino butane) (E64), indicating that CPs were responsible for the anti-parasitic activity. A dose-dependent inhibition of migration of third stage larvae (L3) in the LMIT was demonstrated at higher concentrations of PLS, with EC-50 values in the range of 67.35-106.31µM. Incubation of PLS with E64 prior to use in the LMIT did not reverse the anti-migratory effect, suggesting that CPs were not responsible for the reduced migration of cyathostomin L3 and that PLS also contains an additional active compound. This is the first report of PLS and/or CPs showing activity against the free-living stages of a parasitic helminth. In addition, it suggests that cyathostomins are highly sensitive to the effects of CPs and further evaluation of their efficacy against parasitic stages and in vivo are strongly indicated.

Tribendimidine: a promising, safe and broad-spectrum anthelmintic agent from China.

We review, for the first time, a 20-year Chinese story of research and development pertaining to tribendimidine, a promising anthelmintic agent that is safe and exhibits a broad spectrum of activity. Tribendimidine was first synthesized at the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases in Shanghai in the mid 1980s. In laboratory studies, tribendimidine showed high efficacy against Nippostrongylus braziliensis in rats, Necator americanus in hamsters, Ancylostoma caninum and Toxocara canis in dogs, and Syphacia mesocriceti in mice. Activity was also found against several species of cestodes in chicken. In clinical trials, a single oral dose of 400 mg tribendimidine, administered to patients infected only with N. americanus, or with N. americanus and Ancylostoma duodenalis, resulted in cure rates of 85.7% (132/154) and 89.8% (53/59), respectively. In comparison, a single oral dose of 400 mg albendazole resulted in significantly lower cure rates, namely 65.5% (91/139; chi(2) = 16.47, P < 0.001) and 71.7% (43/60; chi(2) = 6.29, P = 0.012), respectively. Single oral doses of tribendimidine (300 mg) and albendazole (400mg) were equally effective against Ascaris lumbricoides infections; cure rates were 96.0% (97/101) and 98.1% (101/103), respectively. In 5-14-year-old children with an Enterobius vermicularis infection, treated with a single oral dose of 200 mg tribendimidine, a cure rate of 81.6% (93/114) was observed. Tribendimidine was well-tolerated as only mild and transient side effects were observed. It would be of great public health significance if these findings are confirmed in other epidemiological settings, as more than one-quarter of the world population is currently affected by intestinal nematodes, with only very few drugs currently available on the market.

Multiple resistance in equine cyathostomins: a case study from military establishments in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil / Múltipla resistência de ciatostomíneos de equinos: um estudo de caso em estabelecimentos militares no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Abstract Semi-intensive equine breeding system favors gastrointestinal nematode infections. The treatment of these infections is based on the use of anthelmintics. However, the inappropriate use of these drugs has led to parasitic resistance to the available active principles. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the main classes of antiparasitic (ATP) used in control in adult and young animals, including: benzimidazoles (fenbendazole), pyrimidines (pyrantel pamoate), macrocyclic lactones (ivermectin and moxidectin), as well as the combination of active ingredients (ivermectin + pyrantel pamoate). The study was carried out in two military establishments, located in Rio Grande do Sul (RS), from January to December, 2018. The intervals between the treatments of the animals were performed from 30 to 90 days. Coproparasitological evaluations were determined by the egg count reduction in the faeces. Cyatostomine larvae were identified in pre and post-treatment cultures. The results demonstrated the multiple parasitic resistance of cyathostomins to fenbendazole, moxidectin in young animals, and to fenbendazole, pyrantel pamoate in adult animals. Thus, it is necessary to define or diagnose parasitic resistance to assist in the creation of prophylactic parasitic control, using suppressive treatment with ATP associated with integrated alternatives. The progress of parasitic resistance can be slowed.

Resumo O sistema semi-intensivo de criação de equinos favorece infecções por nematoides gastrointestinais. O tratamento dessas infecções é baseado no uso de anti-helmínticos. No entanto, o uso inadequado desses medicamentos levou à resistência parasitária aos princípios ativos disponíveis. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a eficácia das principais classes de antiparasitários (ATP), utilizados no controle em animais adultos e jovens, incluindo: benzimidazois (fenbendazol), pirimidinas (pamoato de pirantel), lactonas macrocíclicas (ivermectina e moxidectina), bem como a combinação de ingredientes ativos (ivermectina + pamoato de pirantel). O estudo foi realizado em dois estabelecimentos militares, localizados no Rio Grande do Sul (RS), de janeiro a dezembro de 2018. Os intervalos entre os tratamentos foram realizados de 30 a 90 dias. As avaliações coproparasitológicas foram determinadas pela redução da contagem de ovos nas fezes. Foram identificadas larvas de ciatostomíneos nas coproculturas pré e pós tratamentos. Os resultados demonstraram a resistência parasitária múltipla dos ciatostomíneos ao fenbendazol, moxidectina em animais jovens, febendazole e pamoato de pirantel em animais adultos. Estabelecer o diagnóstico da resistência parasitária auxiliará na elaboração de um controle parasitário profilático, reduzindo o tratamento supressivo com ATP juntamente com alternativas de controle integrado. Dessa forma, o avanço da resistência parasitária poderá ser retardado.

A highly conserved, inhibitable astacin metalloprotease from Teladorsagia circumcincta is required for cuticle formation and nematode development.

Parasitic nematodes cause chronic, debilitating infections in both livestock and humans worldwide, and many have developed multiple resistance to the currently available anthelmintics. The protective collagenous cuticle of these parasites is required for nematode survival and its synthesis has been studied extensively in the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. The collagen synthesis pathway is a complex, multi-step process involving numerous key enzymes, including the astacin metalloproteases. Nematode astacinsare crucial for C. elegans development, having specific roles in hatching, moulting and cuticle synthesis. NAS-35 (also called DPY-31) is a homologue of a vertebrate procollagen C-proteinase and performs a central role in cuticle formation of C. elegans as its mutation causes temperature-sensitive lethality and cuticle defects. The characterisation of DPY-31 from the ovine gastrointestinal nematode Teladorsagia circumcincta and its ability to rescue the C. elegans mutant is described. Compounds with a hydroxamate functional group have previously been shown to be potent inhibitors of procollagen C-proteinases and were therefore examined for inhibitory activity against the T. circumcincta enzyme. Phenotypic screening against T. circumcincta, Haemonchus contortus and C. elegans larval stages identified compounds that caused body morphology phenotypes consistent with the inhibition of proteases involved in cuticle collagen synthesis. These compounds correspondingly inhibited the activity of recombinant T. circumcincta DPY-31, supporting the hypothesis that this enzyme may represent a potentially novel anthelmintic drug target.

Worm control practices of pig farmers in Greece.

Information concerning worm control practices of pig farmers in Greece was collected through a questionnaire survey by visiting farms and interviewing farmers. Questionnaires from 93 farmers were collected. The most commonly treated age groups of pigs were sows (87%), followed by fatteners (59%) and weaners (57%). Most of the farmers treated their sows twice per year (78%). The preferred method for calculating anthelmintic dosages was visual estimation (77%) of an average body weight (97%). Drug administration was by mixing anthelmintics with 1-day ration (97%) in two doses with an interval of 4-5 days (94%). The most commonly used group of anthelmintic was benzimidazoles and probenzimidazoles (37-46%), followed by avermectins (7-14%) and tetrahydropyrimidines (8-14%). Febantel was the most commonly used individual drug (34-40%), followed by ivermectin (7-14%) and pyrantel (9-14%). A small number of pig farmers used more than one group of anthelmintics (1-4%) or individual drug (2-6%) in the same year. The majority of the farmers (60%) used the same anthelmintic group for 3 or more years. When gilts/sows or boars were brought, 55% of the pig farmers did not treat with an anthelmintic. Most of the farmers evaluated the efficacy of an anthelmintic by inspecting the general appearance of the pigs or by inspecting for the presence of worms expelled in the faeces after treatment. Planning of the anthelmintic treatment strategy for most of the farms was the responsibility of veterinarians. However, most of the farmers considered the magnitude of worm infection in their own farm as insignificant.