Detection of Multiple Anthelmintic Resistance of Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta in Sheep and Goats of Northern Punjab, Pakistan

The present study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of albendazole, levamisole and ivermectin against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and goats. One hundred and sixty small ruminants comprised four breeds, sheep (Salt range and Pak Karakul) and goats (Jattal and Beetal) were selected for this experiment. These animals were artificially infected with nematodes (Haemonchus contortus and Teladorsagia circumcincta). FECs were done to confirm the presence of adult stages of H. contortus and T. circumcincta. The selected sheep and goat were divided into four groups. First group was treated with albendazole, second with levamisole, third with ivermectin and fourth kept as untreated to serve as control. Faecal samples were collected on day first prior to administration of treatment followed by day 14 post treatment. The efficacy of each anthelmintic was measured using the faecal egg count reduction test and egg hatch test. The percentage reduction in FECs (95% CI) for albendazole, levamisole and ivermectin for salt range sheep were 88%, 89% and 99%, for Pak karakul sheep, 91%, 90% and 97%, for Jattal goat 91%, 91% and 98%, and for Beetal goat 91%, 92% and 99%. All results showed the presence of multiple anthelmintic resistances in selected sheep and goats flocks. All flocks were found resistance against the albendazol and three were resistance against levamisole. The arithmetic faecal egg count reduction with albendazole, levamisole and ivermectin recorded for H. contortus and T. circumcincta indicated the resistance against albendazole and levamisole and susceptibility of these worms against ivermectin. The results revealed that a significant difference (P<0.05) of FECRT were found on pre-treatment and post-treatment with different anthelmintic drug as compared to control group in all the flocks. The results of egg hatch test indicated that LC50 were ranged from 0.138 mu g/mL to 0.141 mu g/mL for four breeds, which were more than 0.1ug/ml of albendazole. Result indicates that resistance was found in the eggs with albendazole. The egg hatch assay also confirmed the result of faecal egg count reduction test.