The comparative efficacy of abamectin, monepantel and an abamectin/derquantel combination against fourth-stage larvae of a macrocyclic lactone-resistant Teladorsagia spp. isolate infecting sheep

Abstract

Anthelmintic resistance by gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep continues to be an issue of global interest. While the recent introduction in some countries of one or two new anthelmintic classes (amino-acetonitrile derivatives [AAD] and spiroindoles [SI]) has been welcomed, it is important that there is no relaxation in parasite control and the management of drug resistance. Monepantel (an AAD) was the first new anthelmintic to be approved for use (New Zealand, 2009) and was followed a year later in the same country by a combination of derquantel (a SI) and abamectin. The present study determined the efficacy of the new anthelmintic products and abamectin against fourth-stage larvae of macrocyclic lactone-resistant Teladorsagia spp. in lambs. Efficacies were calculated by comparing post-mortem nematode burdens of treated animals with those of untreated control sheep, and were 98.5, 86.3 and 34.0% for monepantel, abamectin/derquantel and abamectin, respectively. The nematode burdens of monepantel- and abamectin/derquantel-treated sheep were significantly lower than those sheep treated with abamectin and the untreated controls. Similarly, the burden of the monepantel group was significantly lower than that of the abamectin/derquantel group. These findings provide an opportunity to reinforce the recommendation that farmers and animal health advisors need to know the resistance status of nematode populations on subject farms to ensure effective control programs are designed and implemented. Such control programs should include an appropriate choice of anthelmintic(s), monitoring parasite burdens for correct timing of treatments, and pasture management to reduce larval challenge balanced with the maintenance of drug-susceptible populations in refugia.