Efficacy of 5-chloro-2-methylthio-6-(1-naftiloxi)-ih-benzimidazole against different stages of Fasciola hepatica in Pelibuey sheep

Abstract

THE AIM OF THE PRESENT STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE THE FASCIOLICIDE ACTIVITY OF 5-CHLORO-2-METHYLTHIO-6-(1-NAPHTHILOXY)-IH-BENZIMIDAZOLE CALLED COMPOUND ALPHA AGAINST THREE DAY, TWO-, FOUR-, SIX-, EIGHT- AND TEN WEEK-OLD FLUKES IN EXPERIMENTALLY INFECTED SHEEP. SIXTY PELIBUEY FREE-FLUKE SHEEP WERE INFECTED EACH WITH 150 METACERCARIAE OF F. HEPATICA PER OS. ANIMALS WERE DIVIDED INTO 12 GROUPS OF 5 ANIMALS EACH. ALL ANIMALS WERE DETECTED POSITIVE TO F. HEPATICA ANTIBODIES BY THE ELISA TEST AT THREE WEEK POSTINFECTION. GROUPS 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 AND 11 WERE ORALLY TREATED WITH 15 MG/KG OF COMPOUND ALPHA ON DAYS 2, 4, 6, 8 AND 10 WEEKS POSTINFECTION, RESPECTIVELY. GROUPS 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 AND 12 REMAINED AS NON-TREATED CONTROLS. ALL SHEEP WERE EUTHANIZED IN ORDER TO COLLECT AND COUNT THE FLUKES IN THE LIVER FOUR WEEKS AFTER THE TREATMENT. EFFICACY WAS ASSESSED AS THE PERCENTAGE OF FLUKE REDUCTION IN THE TREATED GROUPS IN COMPARISON TO THE CONTROL ONES. RESULTS SHOWED THAT COMPOUND ALPHA REMOVED 100% OF THE FLUKES IN ALL TREATED GROUPS. MEAN NUMBER OF FLUKES IN NON-TREATED GROUPS WAS OF 189. MAXIMUM- AND MINIMUM NUMBER OF FLUKES COLLECTED PER ANIMAL WAS OF 59 AND 15, RESPECTIVELY. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT COMPOUND ALPHA ADMINISTERED PER OS AT 15 MG/KG, EXERTED HIGHLY PROMISING EFFICACY AGAINST DIFFERENT EVOLUTIVE STAGES OF F. HEPATICA IN SHEEP.