title: The field evaluation of albendazole and triclabendazole efficacy against Fasciola hepatica by coproantigen ELISA in naturally infected sheep.
abstract: Albendazole (ABZ) has been used for control of ovine fasciolosis in Sweden for several decades. However, increasing prevalence of Fasciola hepatica in Sweden requires attention to diagnostic tools and current control strategies. The coproantigen reduction test (CRT) using commercial Bio-X K201 Fasciola coproantigen ELISA (Bio-X Diagnostics, Jemelle, Belgium) was recently suggested as a novel method for diagnosis of patent F. hepatica infection. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of albendazole and triclabendazole (TCBZ) treatment against F. hepatica in naturally infected sheep in south-western Sweden by CRT, and also to evaluate the usefulness of this test as a diagnostic marker for anthelmintic efficacy following treatment with ABZ. Three weeks after housing, 24 serologically positive ewes on a commercial farm in Sweden were randomly allocated into three groups, which were either dewormed with 5mg/kg ABZ, 10mg/ml TCBZ or left untreated. Twenty-six days after initial administration of these anthelmintics, all of the sheep in the ABZ group and untreated control groups were treated with 10mg/kg TCBZ. While TCBZ caused elimination of coproantigen and eggs in faeces 7 days after application, ABZ treatment failed completely. Neither anthelmintic resistance, underdosing, nor lack of efficacy due to the presence of immature flukes can be out ruled as possible causes. Despite some deviations in conformity between coproantigen levels and presence of fluke eggs, the CRT was a useful tool for measuring treatment efficacies.
authors: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Department of Biomedical Sciences and Veterinary Public Health, Section for Parasitology, Box 7028, 75007 Uppsala, Sweden. anovobilsky@yahoo.com
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Novobilský
authors: Helen Björk
authors: HB
authors: Averpil
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Höglund
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth / Q000097:blood; D000947:Antigens, Helminth / Q000032:analysis; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000662:veterinary; D005210:Fasciola hepatica / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D005211:Fascioliasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000077682:Triclabendazole
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000909:Antibodies, Helminth; D000947:Antigens, Helminth; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015415:Biomarkers; D000077682:Triclabendazole; D015766:Albendazole