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Efficacy of albendazole against nematode parasites isolated from a goat farm in Ethiopia: relationship between dose and efficacy in goats

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Abstract

A suspected case of albendazole resistance in a goat farm of Hawassa University was examined using faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT), controlled anthelmintic efficacy test and egg hatch assay (EHA) to verify the development of resistance and/or the need for higher doses of the drug in goats than in sheep. The experiment was conducted in 12 sheep (2 groups: treatment versus control) and 24 goats (4 groups: 3 treatments versus control, n = 6; per group) following artificial infection with infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Oesophagostomum columbianum. The first group of sheep and goats were treated orally with albendazole at the dose rate of 3.8 mg/kg body weight (i.e. manufacturer's recommended dose for sheep) while the second group of sheep and the fourth group of goats were left untreated. The second and the third group of goats were treated with albendazole at 5.7 and 7.6 mg/kg respectively. The FECRT showed an efficacy of albendazole in goats to be 65.5, 81.4 and 84.1% at the dose rate of 3.8, 5.7 and 7.6 mg/kg body weight respectively while in sheep it was 62% at the dose rate of 3.8 mg/kg. Increasing the dose to 1.5 the sheep recommended dose induced minor improvement of efficacy in goats; however the efficacy was almost the same at 1.5 and twice the dose recommended for sheep. Worm counts at day 15 post-treatment revealed that H. contortus has developed resistance to albendazole. EHA results also supported these findings. On the other hand, O. columbianum was 100% susceptible at all dose levels tested.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant from Ethiopian Science and Technology Agency. Dr. Girma Abebe, Head, Department of Animal Science, Agricultural College of Hawassa University is also acknowledged for allowing us to isolate the parasites from goats in the University farm. We are also grateful for the technical assistance of Mr. Demeke Sibhatu and Mrs. Yiftusira Gebrekidan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Ethiopia, National Animal Health Diagnostic and Investigation Center, P.O. Box 04, Sebeta, Ethiopia

    Tadesse Eguale, Hassen Chaka & Daniel Gizaw

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  1. Tadesse Eguale
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  2. Hassen Chaka
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  3. Daniel Gizaw
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Correspondence to Tadesse Eguale.

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Eguale, T., Chaka, H. & Gizaw, D. Efficacy of albendazole against nematode parasites isolated from a goat farm in Ethiopia: relationship between dose and efficacy in goats. Trop Anim Health Prod 41, 1267–1273 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-009-9311-1

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