Treatment of small lungworm infestation in sheep by using moxidectin

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology 2004-05, Vol.121 (3), p.329-336
• Main Authors: Papadopoulos, E, Sotiraki, S, Himonas, C, Fthenakis, G.C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; animal parasitic nematodes; Animals; Antinematodal Agents - therapeutic use; Control methods-Nematoda; Cystocaulus; Cystocaulus ocreatus; drug efficacy; drug formulations; drug therapy; fecal larval count; Feces - parasitology; Female; Injections, Subcutaneous - veterinary; Lung - parasitology; Lungworms; Macrolides - therapeutic use; Moxidectin; Muellerius capillaris; nematode infections; nematode larvae; Neostrongylus; Neostrongylus linearis; oral administration; Parasite Egg Count - veterinary; population density; Protostrongylus; Protostrongylus rufescens; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - drug therapy; Sheep Diseases - parasitology; Sheep-Nematoda; Statistics, Nonparametric; subcutaneous injection; Trachea - parasitology; Trichostrongyloidea - growth & development; Trichostrongyloidiasis - drug therapy; Trichostrongyloidiasis - parasitology; Trichostrongyloidiasis - veterinary
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.02.026

The use of moxidectin (MXD) in the treatment of small lungworm infestation ( Cystocaulus ocreatus, Muellerius capillaris, Neostrongylus linearis and Protostronglylus rufescens) in sheep, was evaluated. Twenty-one sheep naturally infested with small lungworms, were divided into three groups ( n=7) and treated as follows: group A with moxidectin 1% injectable solution at a dose rate of 0.2 mg kg −1 bodyweight, group B with moxidectin 0.1% oral drench at a dose rate of 0.2 mg kg −1 bodyweight and group C being controls. Before treatment, mean faecal larval counts were 30.7, 21.1 and 26.7 lpg in group A, B and C, respectively; 14 days after treatment respective counts were 0.4, 2.3 and 63.0 lpg, (percentage reduction after moxidectin administration >96.0%); 60 days after treatment respective counts were 0.0, 0.0 and 26.4 lpg, (percentage reduction after moxidectin administration 100%). It is concluded that treatment of small lungworm infestation of sheep can be effected by using moxidectin.