Control of antinematicidal-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes in tamed small ruminants: achievements, trends and prospectives

Abstract

Definitely, infections with gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes are reckoned a great menace to the small ruminant productivity in a vast number of countries around the world. Furthermore, the wide emergence of antinematicidal resistance among parasitic nematode populations, due to mutations occurred by indiscriminate use of synthetic dewormers since last century, has robustly complicated the control program of nematodiasis. Thus, nematologists have advocated some non-chemical alternative strategies such as biological control, vaccination, genetic approaches, grazing management, and nutritional supplementation to overcome the dilemma of resistance. Unluckily, these policies, due to some drawbacks and bottlenecks in application pragmatically, have not achieved a considerable success in the field yet. On the other hand, the option of phytotherapy as a promising substitute is being promoted in southern hemisphere. Although, in order to commercialize ethnobotanicals as effective antinematicidals, advanced applied studies should be carried out comprehensively. Now-a-days, most of researchers in the field of nematology have become convinced that combined strategies could be a magic solution to control antinematicidal-resistant roundworms in the near future. So, in this review, the performed works in the past and present time in addition to future plans in restricting prevalence of dewormer-resistant GI nematodes have been elaborated.