Abstract

BackgroundBenzimidazole (BZ) resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes is associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codons 167, 198 and 200 in the isotype 1 of beta-tubulin gene although in some species these SNPs have also been associated with resistance to macrocyclic lactones. In the present study we compared the levels of resistance in Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis by means of the faecal egg reduction test (FECRT) and the percentage of resistant alleles obtained after pyrosequencing. The study was conducted in 10 naturally infected sheep flocks. Each flock was divided into three groups: i) group treated with albendazole (ABZ); ii) group treated with ivermectin (IVM); iii) untreated group. The number of eggs excreted per gram of faeces was estimated at day 0 and 14 post-treatment.ResultsResistance to ABZ was observed in 12.5% (1/8) of the flocks and to IVM in 44.4% (4/9) of them. One flock was resistant to both drugs according to FECRT. Coprocultures were performed at the same dates to collect L3 for DNA extraction from pooled larvae and to determine the resistant allele frequencies by pyrosequencing analysis. In T. circumcincta, SNPs were not found at any of the three codons before treatment; after the administration of ABZ, SNPs were present only in two different flocks, one of them with a frequency of 23.8% at SNP 167, and the other 13.2% % at SNP 198. In relation to T. colubriformis, we found the SNP200 before treatment in 33.3% (3/9) of the flocks with values between 48.5 and 87.8%. After treatment with ABZ and IVM, the prevalence of this SNP increased to 75 and 100% of the flocks, with a mean frequency of 95.1% and 82.6%, respectively.ConclusionThe frequencies observed for SNP200 in T. colubriformis indicate that the presence of resistance is more common than revealed by the FECRT.

Highlights

  • Benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes is associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codons 167, 198 and 200 in the isotype 1 of beta-tubulin gene in some species these SNPs have been associated with resistance to macrocyclic lactones

  • Faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) The results of the FECRT carried out in the 10 sheep flocks are shown in Tables 3 and 4

  • In conclusion, comparing the results of FECRT and pyrosequencing, we suggest that the presence of resistance is more common than expected and that would have been declared using FECRT alone

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in gastrointestinal nematodes is associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at codons 167, 198 and 200 in the isotype 1 of beta-tubulin gene in some species these SNPs have been associated with resistance to macrocyclic lactones. In the present study we compared the levels of resistance in Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis by means of the faecal egg reduction test (FECRT) and the percentage of resistant alleles obtained after pyrosequencing. Infections by gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a serious problem for extensive systems of sheep farming worldwide. The most prevalent GIN species infecting sheep in temperate areas of the world are Teladorsagia circumcincta, Trichostrongylus spp., Haemonchus contortus, Chabertia ovina and Cooperia spp. The usual mode of controlling GIN infections in ruminants is by chemotherapy and the most commonly used anthelmintics are grouped into 3 families: benzimidazoles (BZs), imidazothiazoles and macrocyclic lactones (MLs). There are some reports describing AR against all anthelmintic groups worldwide, even against the most recent anthelmintic drug, monepantel, in New Zealand, The Netherlands and Uruguay in T. circumcincta, Trichostrongylus colubriformis and H. contortus [4,5,6,7]. The high prevalence of AR to several drugs against GIN in small ruminants continues to threaten the viability of small ruminant farms [8]

Objectives
Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.