Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Field efficacy of praziquantel oral paste against naturally acquired equine cestodes in Ethiopia

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The efficacy of an oral formulation of praziquantel (Equitape, Horse paste, Fort Dodge) in the reduction of cestode egg counts and serum antibody level against Anoplocephala perfoliata was assessed in 44 donkeys under field conditions. The donkeys were confirmed both by faecal examination and serum antibody assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to have natural infection with tapeworms. The donkeys were randomly allocated into treatment (n = 22) and control (n = 22) groups. The treatment group was treated with both praziquantel and ivermectin (Ivomec, Merial) at a dose rate of 1 mg/kg and 200 μg/kg, respectively while the control group was treated only with ivermectin. Faecal samples were collected before treatment (day-0) and 2, 6, 8, 12, and 16 weeks post-treatment while blood samples were collected before treatment and 8 and 16 weeks after treatment and analysed. The results of the study demonstrated that praziquantel paste was highly effective in reducing cestode eggs in donkeys and had an efficacy of more than 99 % until week 16 (day 112). No cestode egg reappearance by 16 weeks post-treatment in any animal in the treatment group was observed while donkeys in the control group continued shedding cestode eggs. The immunological assay also showed a significant reduction in serum antibody level against A. perfoliata in treated donkeys compared to the control group (p = 0.0001). This marked decrease in serum antibody level indicates reduced risk of cestode-associated colic and other gastrointestinal disorders and clinical diseases. No adverse reactions or clinical effects were encountered in any animal within either group throughout the trial period.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott JB, Mellor DJ, Barrett EJ, Proudman CJ, Love S (2008) Serological changes observed in horses infected with Anoplocephala perfoliata after treatment with praziquantel and natural re-infection. Vet Rec 162:50–53

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett EJ, Farlam J, Proudman CJ (2004) Field trial of the efficacy of a combination of ivermectin and praziquantel in horses infected with roundworms and tapeworms. Vet Rec 154:323–325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coles GC, Hillyer MH, Taylor FGR, Villard I (2003) Efficacy of an ivermectin–praziquantel combination in equids against bots and tapeworms. Vet Rec 152:178–179

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Duncan JL, Abbott EM, Arundel JH, Eysker M, Klei TR, Krecek RC, Lyons ET, Reinemeyer C, Slocombe JOD (2002) World Association for the advancement of veterinary parasitology (WAAVP): second edition of guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of equine anthelmintics. Vet Parasitol 103:1–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feseha G (1997) Disease and health problems of donkeys abroad. In: Svendsen DE (ed) The professional handbook of the donkey, 3rd edn. Whittet, UK, pp 207–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Feseha G (1998) Helminth parasites of working equids: the African perspective. Proceedings of the eight International Conference on equine infectious diseases, Dubai, pp 318–323

  • French DD, Chapman MR (1992) Tapeworms of the equine gastrointestinal tract. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 14:655–661

    Google Scholar 

  • Gasser RB, Williamson RMC, Beveridge I (2005) Anoplocephala perfoliata of horses—significant scope for further research, improved diagnosis and control. Parasitology 131:1–13

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew MA (1999) Epidemiological study on the health and welfare of Ethiopian donkeys, with particular reference to parasitic diseases. MVM thesis. University of Glasgow, UK

  • Getachew MA (2006) Endoparasites of working donkeys in Ethiopia: epidemiological study and mathematical modelling. PhD Thesis. University of Glasgow, UK

  • Getachew M, Feseha G, Trawford A, Reid SWJ (2008a) A survey of seasonal patterns in strongyle faecal worm egg counts of working equids of the central midlands and lowlands, Ethiopia. Trop Anim Health Prod 40:637–642

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew MA, Innocent TG, Trawford FA, Feseha G, Reid SWJ, Love S (2008b) Equine parascariosis under the tropical weather conditions of Ethiopia: a coprological and postmortem study. Vet Rec 162:177–180

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew M, Feseha G, Trawford A, Reid SWJ (2010a) Gastrointestinal parasites of working donkeys of Ethiopia. Trop Anim Health Prod 42:27–33

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew MA, Innocent TG, Trawford FA, Reid SWJ, Love S (2010b) Epidemiological features of fasciolosis in working donkeys in Ethiopia. Vet Parasitol 169:335–339

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew M, Innocent G, Trawford AF, Reid SWJ, Love S (2012a) Gasterophilosis: a major cause of rectal prolapse in working donkeys in Ethiopia. Trop Anim Health Prod 44:757–762

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Getachew MA, Innocent G, Proudman CJ, Trawford A, Feseha G, Reid SW, Faith B, Love S (2012b) Equine cestodosis: a sero-epidemiological study of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in Ethiopia. Vet Res Commun. doi:10.1007/s11259-012-9516-z (online first)

  • Grubbs ST, Amodie D, Rulli D, Wulster-Radcliffe M, Reinemeyer C, Yazwinski T, Tucker C, Hutchens D, Smith D, Patterson D (2003) Field evaluation of moxidectin/praziquantel oral gel in horses. Vet Ther 4:249–256

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harnett W (1988) The anthelmintic action of praziquantel. Parasitol Today 4:144–146

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holm-Martin M, Levot GW, Dawson KL (2005) Control of endoparasites in horses with a gel containing moxidectin and praziquantel. Vet Rec 156:835–838

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kjaer LN, Lungholt MM, Nielsen MK, Olsen SN, Maddox-Hyttel C (2007) Interpretation of serum antibody response to Anoplocephala perfoliata in relation to parasite burden and faecal egg count. Equine Vet J 39:529–533

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kuzmina TA, Kharchenko VA, Trawford A, Getachew M (2007) The strongylid nematodes of working donkeys from Ethiopia. Proceedings of the 21st International Conference of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP), Gent, Belgium, p 380

  • Love S, Murphy D, Mellor D (1999) Pathogenecity of cyathostome infection. Vet Parasitol 85:113–122

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons ET, Drudge JH, Tolliver SC, Swerczek TW, Collins SS (1989) Determination of the efficacy of pyrantel pamoate at the therapeutic dose rate against the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata in equids using a modification of the critical test method. Vet Parasitol 31:13–18

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons ET, Tolliver SC, Ennis LE (1998) Efficacy of praziquantel (0.25 mg kg−1) on the cecal tapeworm (Anoplocephala perfoliata) in horses. Vet Parasitol 78:87–289

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons ET, Swerczek TW, Tolliver SC, Bair HD, Drudge JH, Ennis LE (2000) Prevalence of selected species of internal parasites of equids at necropsy in central Kentucky (1995–1999). Vet Parasitol 92:51–62

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marchiondo AA, Gary WW, Smith LL, Reinemeyer CR, Dascanio JJ, Johnson EG, Shugart JI (2006) Clinical field efficacy and safety of pyrantel pamoate paste (19.13 % w/w pyrantel base) against Anoplocephala spp. in naturally infected horses. Vet. Parasitol 137:94–102

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marley SE, Hutchens DE, Reinemeyer CR, Holste JE, Paul AJ, Rehbein S (2004) Antiparasitic activity of ivermectin and praziquantel combination paste in horses. Vet Ther 5:105–109

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pavone S, Veronesi F, Fioretti DP, Mandara MT (2010) Pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the equine ileocecal junction. Vet Res Commun 34(Suppl 1):S53–S56

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pavone S, Veronesi F, Genchi C, Fioretti DP, Brianti E, Mandara MT (2011) Pathological changes caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata in the mucosa/submucosa and in the enteric nervous system of equine ileocecal junction. Vet Parasitol 176:43–52

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson GR, Davies LW, White AL, O’Brien JK (1993) Pathological lesions associated with Anoplocephala perfoliata at the ileo-caecal junction of horses. Vet Rec 132:179–182

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proudman CJ, Edwards GB (1992) Validation of a centrifugation/flotation technique for the diagnosis of equine cestodiais. Vet Rec 131:71–72

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proudman CJ, Trees AJ (1996) Correlation of antigen specific IgG and IgG(T) responses with A. perfoliata infection intensity in the horse. Parasite Immunol 18:499–506

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Proudman CJ, Holmes MA, Sheoran AS, Edwards SER, Trees AJ (1997) Immunoepidemiology of the equine tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata: age-intensity profile and age-dependency of antibody subtype responses. Parasitology 114:89–94

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proudman CJ, French NP, Trees AJ (1998) Tapeworm infection is a significant risk factor for spasmodic colic and ileal impaction colic in the horse. Equine Vet J 30:194–199

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Development Core Team (2009) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, ISBN 3-900051-07-0, URL http://www.R-project.org

    Google Scholar 

  • Rehbein S, Holste JE, Doucet MY, Fenger C, Paul AJ, Reinemeyer CR, Smith LL, Yoon S, Marley SF (2003) Field efficacy of ivermectin plus praziquantel oral paste against naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes and cestodes of horses in North America and Europe. Vet Ther 4:220–227

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rehbein S, Visser M, Yoon S, Marley SE (2007) Efficacy of a combination ivermectin/praziquantel paste against nematodes, cestodes and bots in naturally infected ponies. Vet Rec 161:722–724

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reinemeyer CR, Hutchens DE, Eckblad WMP, Marchiondo AA, Shugart JI (2006) Dose-confirmation studies of the cestocidal activity of pyrantel pamoate paste in horses. Vet Parasitol 138:234–239

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez-Bertos A, Corchero J, Castano M, Pena L, Luzon M (1999) Pathological alterations caused by Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in the ileocaecal junction of equids. J Vet Med A Physiol Pathol Clin Med 46:261–269

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roelfstra L, Betschart B, Pfister K (2006) A study on the seasonal epidemiology of Anoplocephala spp.-infection in horses and the appropriate treatment using a praziquantel gel (Droncit 9 % oral gel). Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr 119:312–315

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Skotarek SL, Colwell DD, Goater CP (2010) Evaluation of diagnostic techniques for Anoplocephala perfoliata in horses from Alberta, Canada. Vet Parasitol 172:249–255

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slocombe JOD (1979) Prevalence and treatment of tapeworms in horses. Can Vet J 20:136–140

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slocombe JOD (2004) A modified critical test for the efficacy of pyrantel pamoate for Anoplocephala perfoliata in equids. Can J Vet Res 68:12–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Slocombe JOD (2006) A modified critical test and its use in two dose titration trials to assess efficacy of praziquantel for Anoplocephala perfoliata in equids. Vet Parasitol 136:127–135

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slocombe JOD, Heine J, Barutzki D, Slacek B (2007) Clinical trials of efficacy of praziquantel horse paste 9 % against tapeworms and its safety in horses. Vet Parasitol 144:66–370

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Svendsen ED (1997) The Professional handbook of the donkey, 3rd edn. Whittet, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Trawford A (1997) Parasites in UK donkeys. In: Svendsen ED (ed) The Professional handbook of the donkey, 3rd edn. Whittet, UK, pp 56–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Trotz-Williams L, Physick-Sheard P, McFarlane H, Pearl DL, Martin SW, Peregrine AS (2008) Occurrence of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection in horses in Ontario, Canada and associations with colic and management practices. Vet Parasitol 153:73–84

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Veronesi F, Diaferia M, Fioretti DP (2009) Anoplocephala perfoliata infestation and colics in horses. Vet Res Commun 33(suppl1):S161–S163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williamson RMC, Beveridge I, Gasser RB (1998) Coprological methods for the diagnosis of Anoplocephala perfoliata infection of the horse. Aust Vet J 76:618–621

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The work was generously funded by The Donkey Sanctuary, UK. We are grateful to Almaz Sharew of the National Veterinary Institute (NVI) and staff of the Donkey Sanctuary in Ethiopia for their support during data collection and laboratory works. The Schools of Veterinary Medicine of Glasgow, Addis Ababa and Liverpool Universities are highly acknowledged for facilitating this study.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Animal Production and Public Health Comparative Epidemiology and Informatics Institute of Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Veterinary School, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK

    A. M. Getachew, G. Innocent, S. W. J. Reid & S. Love

  2. Donkey Sanctuary (DS), Devon, Sidmouth, EX10 0NU, England, UK

    A. M. Getachew, A. Trawford & B. Faith

  3. Addis Ababa University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Donkey Health and Welfare Project-Donkey Sanctuary, P.O. Box 887, Debre Zeit, Ethiopia

    A. M. Getachew & G. Feseha

  4. School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston, The Wirral, CH64 7TE, UK

    C. J. Proudman

  5. Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland (BIOSS), James Clerk Maxwell Building, The King’s Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ, Scotland, UK

    G. Innocent

  6. Principal for Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hatfield, Herts, AL9 7TA, UK

    S. W. J. Reid

Authors
  1. A. M. Getachew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Innocent
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. C. J. Proudman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. Trawford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. Feseha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. W. J. Reid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. B. Faith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. S. Love
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. M. Getachew.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Getachew, A.M., Innocent, G., Proudman, C.J. et al. Field efficacy of praziquantel oral paste against naturally acquired equine cestodes in Ethiopia. Parasitol Res 112, 141–146 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-3117-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-3117-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation