title: Hepatogenous photosensitisation in Scottish sheep casued by Dicrocoelium dendriticum.
abstract: Dicrocoeliosis was identified as the probable predisposing cause of weight loss and hepatogenous photosensitisation affecting half of a group of 14 month-old ewe lambs on a farm on the Inner Hebridean island of Coll. Oral dosing of the ewe lambs with 15 mg/kg albendazole only achieved a 79.2% reduction in Dicrocoelium dendriticum egg count, 21 day post treatment. Thus, this report of dicrocoeliosis differs from the disease that occurs elsewhere, both in the severity and nature of its clinical signs, and in the response of the parasite to anthelmintic drug treatment. These differences could indicate the existence of a genetically divergent D. dendriticum population, which may have evolved within the unique and isolated biotope afforded by the machair on the island of Coll. Better understanding of these factors is a prerequisite for effective and sustainable disease control.
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Farm Animal Practice, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Scotland, United Kingdom. neil.sargison@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: N D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Sargison
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Baird
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sotiraki
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gilleard
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Busin
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D004011:Dicrocoeliasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004013:Dicrocoelium; D005260:Female; D010787:Photosensitivity Disorders; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole