Assessment of Acaricidal Efficacy of Ivermectin Against Ectoparasitic Skin Lesions in Goats

Abstract

We have conducted a research experiment to investigate the efficacy of commercial Ivermectin preparations (Ivertin®, Invet®, and A-Mectin®) against skin lesions in goats. The generic Ivermectin is, in fact, a naturally-derived dihydro derivative of avermectin originating exclusively from a single microorganism isolated from Japanese soil, displaying an extensive range of antiparasitic efficacy against internal and external parasites of human and domestic animals. The ectoparasites such as ticks, lice, and mites cause heavy economic losses to the livestock industry due to their blood-sucking habit, which adversely affects economic production. Ectoparasites have been recognized as the notorious threat due to severe irritation, formation of crust, wrinkled, thickened, and or loss of hair, allergy, and toxicosis and eventually brought about financial havoc in goat farming. Presently, this is the best-known drug available for combating ectoparasitic diseases in livestock. After being bound, the drug disrupts parasitic neuro-muscular transmission, causing hyperpolarization of the neuronal membrane, inducing paralysis of somatic muscles, particularly the pharyngeal pump, killing the parasites. To investigate the comparative efficacy of commercially available different ivermectin preparations in the local market against skin lesions in goats, the research work was conducted on 12 goats of both sexes having skin lesions from July to August 2017. Subcutaneous injection of Ivertin® of Chemist Laboratories Ltd, Invet® of Popular Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and A-Mectin® of The Acme Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Bangladesh @ l ml per 50 Kg bwt where each ml contains 10mg of generic Ivermectin on the first day followed by the second dose at 7thday and the third dose at 14th day of experimentation. Our results revealed within 28 days of treatment with these preparations of Ivermectin, both smaller and larger skin lesions in goats of all experimental groups were almost cured at a rate of 99%. No adverse effect was observed following ivermectin therapy. The animals were seen with increased vigor, better growth, and improved coat color. Although the precise mode of action and interactions of Ivermectin is yet to be revealed fully, the drug certainly had a tremendously positive effect in alleviating ectoparasitic diseases from goats.