Effectiveness of ivermectin and moxidectin against cyathostomins in four horse breeding farms in Mexico
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral ivermectin and moxidectin against natural cyathostomin infection in four horse farms located in the central regions of Mexico. 445 horses of the Warmblood (145), Thoroughbreds (100), and Quarter Horses (200) breeds, aged between 6 months and 27 years, were used. Data on horses and parasite control methods were collected through interviews with farm owners and veterinarians. Using the McMaster technique, fecal samples were processed from all 445 horses, 180 of which were positive for cyathostomins. On each farm, a selection was made of 45 animals meeting the criteria of a Fecal Egg Count Reduction Test yielding results exceeding 150 eggs per gram of strongylid-type nematodes. Subsequently, three separate experimental groups were formed for each farm, each consisting of 15 horses The first group was treated with oral ivermectin 1.87 %; the second group with oral moxidectin 2 %; and the third was the non-treatment control group. Coprocultures were also performed to identify the presence of nematode species. The data obtained were analyzed with RESO.exe©️. Three of the four farms achieved a 100 % reduction in eggs per gram with both macrocyclic lactones. One farm achieved 93 % reduction with ivermectin and 87 % with moxidectin. This study demonstrates that macrocyclic lactones effectively reduce cyathostomins in three of the four farms studied. The results suggest potential cyathostomin resistance to macrocyclic lactones, particularly moxidectin, on one farm. Given these findings, sustainable parasite management is required on horse breeding farms in Mexico.
Article Details
References
Corning S. Equine cyathostomins: a review of biology, clinical significance and therapy. Parasites & Vectors. 2009; 2(Suppl 2):S1. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S1.
Santos DW, Dias de Castro LL, Giese EG, Molento MB. Morphometric study of infective larvae of cyathostomins of horses and their distribution. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2016;44:49–53. doi: 10.1016/j.jevs.2016.02.237.
UNdata. Horses. United Nations Statistics Division. 2020. http://data.un.org/Data.aspx?d=FAO&f=itemCode%3A1096
Matthews JB. Anthelmintic resistance in equine nematodes. International Journal of Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance. 2014;4(3):310–315. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.10.003.
Nielsen MK, Pfister K, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Selective therapy in equine parasite control-application and limitations. Veterinary Parasitology. 2014;202(3-4):95-103. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2014.03.020.
Nielsen MK, Reinemeyer CR, Donecker JM, Leathwick DM, Marchiondo AA, Kaplan RM. Anthelmintic resistance in equine parasites-current evidence and knowledge gaps. Veterinary Parasitology. 2014;204(1-2):55-63. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2013.11.030.
Kaplan RM, Nielsen MK. An evidence-based approach to equine parasite control: it ain’t the 60s anymore. Equine Veterinary Education. 2010;22(6):306-316. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2010.00084.x.
Tydén E, Enemark HL, Franko MA, Höglund J, Osterman-Lind E. Prevalence of Strongylus vulgaris in horses after ten years of prescription usage of anthelmintics in Sweden. Veterinary Parasitology. 2019;276(2):100013. doi: 10.1016/j.vpoa.2019.100013.
FAO. Resistencia a los antiparasitarios. Estado actual con énfasis en América Latina. Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación; 2003. https://www.fao.org/publications/card/es/c/da2d1890-1d93-5bd5-8785-d8af5540b83f/
Sangster NC, Cowling A, Woodgate RG. Ten events that defined anthelmintic resistance research. Trends in Parasitology. 2018;34(7):553–563. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.05.001.
Molento MB, Antunes J, Bentes RN, Coles GC. Anthelmintic resistant nematodes in Brazilian horses. Veterinary Record. 2008;162(12):384-385. doi: 10.1136/vr.162.12.384.
Canever RJ, Braga PRC, Boeckh A, Grycajuck M, Bier D, Molento MB. Lack of Cyathostomin sp. reduction after anthelmintic treatment in horses in Brazil. Veterinary Parasitology. 2013;194(1):35-39. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2012.12.020.
Geurden T, Betsch JM, Maillard K, Vanimisetti B, D’Espois M, Besognet B. Determination of anthelmintic efficacy against equine cyathostomins and Parascaris equorum in France. Equine Veterinary Education. 2013;25(6):304-307. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.2012.00454.x.
Dauparaitė E, Kupčinskas T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Petkevičius S. Anthelmintic resistance of horse strongyle nematodes to ivermectin and pyrantel in Lithuania. Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica. 2021;63(5)1-7. doi: 10.1186/s13028-021-00569-z.
García E. Modificaciones al sistema de clasificación climática de Köppen. México: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Instituto de Geografía; 2004. pp. 50-70.
Duncan JL, Abbott EM, Arundel JH, Eysker M, Klei TR, Krecek RC, Lyons ET, Reinemeyer C, Slocombe JOD. World association for the advancement of veterinary parasitology (WAAVP): second edition of guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of equine anthelmintics. Veterinary Parasitology. 2002;103(1-2):1-18. doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(01)00574-X.
Zajac AM, Conboy GA. Veterinary Clinical Parasitology. 8th ed. London, UK: Wiley-Blackwell; 2012. pp. 67-72.
Nielsen MK. Parasite faecal egg counts in equine veterinary practice. Equine Veterinary Education. 2022;34(11):584-591. doi: 10.1111/eve.13548.
Ministère de L'Agriculture, de L'Alimentation et des Affaires rurales. Estimation du poids vif des chevaux. Gouvernement de l’Ontario, 2010. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/french/livestock/horses/facts/10-086.htm
Becker AC, Kraemer A, Epe C, Strube C. Sensitivity and efficiency of selected coproscopical methods-sedimentation, combined zinc sulfate sedimentation-flotation, and McMaster method. Parasitology Research. 2016;115:2581-2587. doi: 10.1007/s00436-016-5003-8.
Corticelli B, Lai M. Ricerche sulla tecnica di coltura delle larve infestive degli strongili gastro-intestinali del bovino. Acta Medica Veterinaria. 1963;9:347-357.
Bevilaqua C, Rodrigues M, Concordet D. Identification of infective larvae of some common nematode strongylids of horses (Strongylus vulgaris, S. equinus, S. edentatus, Triodontophorus spp., Poteriostomum spp., Gyalocephalus capitatus, Cylicocyclus radiatus, C. nassatus, C. minutus, C. poculatus). Revue de Medecine Veterinaire. 1993;144:989-995.
Torres-Acosta JFJ, Chan-Pérez I, López-Arellano ME, Rosado-Aguilar JA, Soberanes-Céspedes N, Neri-Orantes S, Alonso-Díaz MA, Martínez-Ibañez F. Osorio-Miranda J. Diagnóstico de resistencia a los antiparasitarios en rumiantes. En: RI Rodríguez-Vivas, editor. Técnicas para el Diagnóstico de Parásitos con Importancia en Salud Pública y Veterinaria. Ciudad de México, México: CONASA-AMPAVE; 2015. pp. 355-378.
Nielsen MK, Mittel L, Grice A, Erskine M, Graves E, Vaala W, Tully RC, French DD, et al. AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines. American Association of Equine Practitioners. 2013. https://aaep.org/sites/default/files/Guidelines/AAEPParasiteControlGuidelines_0.pdf
European Scientific Counsel Companion Animal Parasites (ESCCAP). Guía para el Tratamiento y Control de las Infecciones por Parásitos Gastrointestinales de los Équidos. 2019. https://www.esccap.es/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/guia8_2021b.pdf
Meana A, Rojo FA. 87 Q&A sobre Parasitología Equina. Libro de Preguntas y Respuestas. España: Servet. 2010. 276 pp.
Bredtmann CM, Krücken J, Murugaiyan J, Kuzmina T, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Nematode species identification—current status, challenges and future perspectives for cyathostomins. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 2017;7:283. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00283.
Nielsen MK, Banahan M, Kaplan RM Importation of macrocyclic lactone resistant cyathostomins on a US thoroughbred farm. International Journal of Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance. 2020;14:99-104. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.09.004.
Martínez C, Quiroz RE, Dantán E, Aguilar H, Márquez C, Toledo H. Concepción integrativa del parasitismo: redefiniendo nuevos conceptos. Bioagrociencias. 2022;15(2):48-59. doi: 10.56369/BAC.4448.
Molento MB, Nielsen MK, Kaplan RM. Resistance to avermectin/milbemycin anthelmintics in equine cyathostomins-current situation. Veterinary Parasitology. 2012;185(1):16-24.
Milillo P, Boeckh A, Cobb R, Otranto D, Lia RP, Perrucci S, Regalbono AF, Beraldo P, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Demeler J, Bartolini R, Traversa D. Faecal cyathostomin egg count distribution and efficacy of anthelmintics against cyathostomins in Italy: a matter of geography? Parasites & Vectors. 2009:2(Suppl 2):S4. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S4.
Traversa D, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Demeler J, Milillo P, Schürmann S, Barnes H, Otranto D, Perrucci S, Regalbono AF, Beraldo P, Boeckh A, Cobb R. Anthelmintic resistance in cyathostomin populations from horse yards in Italy, United Kingdom and Germany. Parasites & Vectors. 2009;2(S2):S2. doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S2.
Rosado-Aguilar JA, Flota-Burgos GJ, Rojas-Becerril R, Trinidad-Martínez I. Frequency and ivermectin resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes in equine farms from Mexico. 13th International Congress of Parasitology DF, 2014 Aug 10-15. DF, México; 2014.
Galicia-Velázquez G, Villarreal-Nieto A, Guerrero-Molina C, Martínez-Ortiz-de Montellano C. Ivermectin effectiveness for gastrointestinal nematode control in donkeys (Equus asinus) in the Mexican High Plateau. Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Pecuarias. 2020;11(2):326-341. doi: 10.22319/rmcp.v11i2.5100.
Martínez C, Torres JFJ, Ojeda NF, González L, Muñoz SA. Manejo integrado de parásitos en pequeños rumiantes. Bioagrociencias. 2022;15(2):1-10. doi: 10.56369/BAC.4463.
License

Veterinaria México OA by Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia - Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.
Based on a work at http://www.revistas.unam.mx
- All articles in Veterinaria México OA re published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC-BY 4.0). With this license, authors retain copyright but allow any user to share, copy, distribute, transmit, adapt and make commercial use of the work, without needing to provide additional permission as long as appropriate attribution is made to the original author or source.
- By using this license, all Veterinaria México OAarticles meet or exceed all funder and institutional requirements for being considered Open Access.
- Authors cannot use copyrighted material within their article unless that material has also been made available under a similarly liberal license.