Severe Anthelmintic Resistance in Two Free Grazing Small holder Goat Farms in Malaysia

Premaalatha B

doi:10.4172/2157-7579.1000137

Abstract

The use of anthelmintics in Kinta district has been ineffective in varying degrees in small ruminants due to anthelmintic resistance. In 2012, two goat farms experiencing severe mortality up to 30% in the flock were tested for anthelmintic resistance using the Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) with four anthelmintic from the group; Benzimidazoles, Imidazothiazoles, Macrocyclic Lactones and Salicylanilides. Fifteen animals were used in each group and treated according to the recommended dose rates based on body weights and faecal egg counts and larval cultures were conducted. Results showed that Haemonchus contortus and Trichostongylus colubriformis in these two farms were resistant to all the four anthelmintic group tested. As these two farms were actively exporting their animals to the other farm, the results in this paper indicate that nematode resistant worms are actively dispersed to the other farms in the country. This would be a factor that will hinder the actions taken to alleviate the nematode anthelmintic resistance problem in Malaysia.

Highlights

Helminthiasis in small ruminants has been identified as the second most important cause of mortality and morbidity in small ruminants of Malaysia [1]
In small ruminant private farms in Malaysia, the occurrence of multiple resistance towards two or more anthelmintics from different drug groups was reported by various authors [3,6]
Farm B showed resistance of Haemonchus contortus, Oesophagostomum sp. and Trichostrongylus sp to Benzimidazoles, Levamisole and Salicylanilides (Table 4) (Closantel, Janssen Pharmaceutical N.V.) and Macrocyclic Lactones (Ivermectin, Man./Fab: KELA N.V.) is the effective drug for Farm B. Anthelmintic drugs such as benzimidazoles, levamisole and closantel are commonly used in Malaysian goat and sheep farms to control helminthiasis

Summary

Introduction

Helminthiasis in small ruminants has been identified as the second most important cause of mortality and morbidity in small ruminants of Malaysia [1]. Anthelmintic resistance has been reported in the small ruminant farms over the years [2,3,4]. In one government sheep breeding farm, multiple resistance was reported towards oxfendazole (Benzimidazoles – Bz), levamisole (Imidazothiazoles – Leva), ivermectin (Macrocyclic lactones – ML), with suspected resistance towards moxidectin (ML) [5]. Total anthelminthic failure of all five commercially available anthelmintic drug classes – Bz, Leva, ML and Salicylanilides (Clos) was reported in five small ruminant government farms in Sabah, East Malaysia [5] and in five small ruminant government farms in Peninsular Malaysia [6]. In small ruminant private farms in Malaysia, the occurrence of multiple resistance towards two or more anthelmintics from different drug groups was reported by various authors [3,6]. Since government and private small ruminant farms in Malaysia are actively distributing their animals to other smallholder farmers throughout the country through trading, the severity of this problem is likely to have been widely dispersed

Methods

Results

Conclusion