title: Comparative anthelmintic activity of strategic sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets compared to single doses of closantel and tetramisole against natural ovine parasitic gastroenteritis.
abstract: The strategic use of single therapeutic doses of closantel, tetramisole or sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets in controlling naturally acquired parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep was investigated on a farm in semi-arid Rajasthan, India. A total of 303 5- to 6-month-old sheep were divided into three groups. Two groups were dosed with single therapeutic doses of closantel and tetramisole and the third group was given a low-level medication with albendazole through feed pellets for 30 days. Faecal egg counts revealed significantly lower counts (p<0.001) in the group treated with closantel compared to the other two groups. The faecal egg counts in the group receiving sustained low-level albendazole rose after withdrawal of the medication but remained significantly lower than those in the group treated with tetramisole up to 7 weeks after treatment (p<0.05). On the other hand, in the group treated with tetramisole, the mean faecal egg count rose from 3 weeks after treatment and remained continuously higher than those in any other group up to 12 weeks after treatment. The closantel-treated group gained more body weight but the first six-monthly greasy fleece yield was greater in the group treated with medicated pellets. During the first 3 months of the experiment, three animals in the group treated with tetramisole died of parasitic gastroenteritis. Following sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets, the plasma disposition curve of both the sulphoxide and sulphone metabolites reached its plateau level by day 5 and remained almost constant thereafter. The comparative cost-effectiveness of the three treatment regimes during the first 3 months of treatment was best for the group treated with closantel followed by the group treated with medicated feed pellets.
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Health, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sanyal
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Swarnkar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Bhagwan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D015766:Albendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000662:veterinary; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D007194:India; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011897:Random Allocation; D012458:Salicylanilides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013773:Tetramisole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D012458:Salicylanilides; D013773:Tetramisole; C023342:closantel; D015766:Albendazole