title: The effect of a fenbendazole treatment on cyst excretion and weight gain in calves experimentally infected with Giardia duodenalis.
abstract: A total of 28 Holstein-Friesian calves were experimentally infected with 10(5)Giardia duodenalis cysts. Eleven days later, all animals were allocated into two groups of 14 animals each, based on the average pre-treatment cyst counts. Treatment was randomly assigned to one of the two groups, and all animals in the treatment group received a daily oral dosage of 15mg fenbendazole per kg bodyweight during 3 consecutive days. The calves in the control group received a placebo (water). From 3 days after treatment onwards, cyst excretion was determined three times a week during 4 consecutive weeks. The faecal consistency and general health were recorded on a daily basis, and all animals were weighed prior to treatment and weekly thereafter. At the end of the experimental period, there was a significant (P<0.001) reduction (98%) of the cumulative cyst excretion. There were no significant differences in general health between both groups, but faecal consistency was significantly lower (P<0.002) in the control group compared to the treatment group, although none of the animals displayed overt gastro-intestinal symptoms. Prior to treatment the weight did not differ between both experimental groups. At the end of the 4-week experimental period however, the animals in the treatment group gained on average 2.86kg (=102g per day) more than the animals in the control group (P<0.031). This study demonstrates for the first time a significant difference in weight gain between fenbendazole treated and untreated calves experimentally infected with G. duodenalis, although additional data need to confirm the need for treatment in natural conditions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. thomas.geurden@ugent.be
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geurden
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vandenhoute
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pohle
authors.forename: Stijn
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Casaert
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: De Wilde
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vercruysse
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Claerebout
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005273:Fenbendazole / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005872:Giardia; D005873:Giardiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D005273:Fenbendazole