Coprological survey of endoparasite infections in owned dogs and owners' perceptions of endoparasite control in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Infections with endoparasites are common in dogs. Some of these parasites are potentially zoonotic and therefore a public health concern. A survey was conducted in twenty-six small animal practices to evaluate the prevalence of endoparasites in Belgian and Dutch owned dogs older than 6 months as well as risk factors associated with infection. Out of 239 faecal samples screened (168 in Belgium and 71 in the Netherlands), 18 dogs were tested positive for at least one type of endoparasite with three dogs co-infected with two parasitic species. Toxocara sp. was the most frequently found endoparasite (4.6%). Three other dogs were positive for Angiostrongylus vasorum (1.4%) using the Baermann method and confirmed in one dog by the Angiodetect® test. Age and predation behaviour were identified as two risk factors associated with endoparasite infection. Although the majority (77%) of the owners in this study reported to administer at least one anthelmintic treatment per year, only a minority of them (24.3%) were aware of the risk to human health, indicating that owner awareness is sub-optimal. For dog owners, human toxocarosis and other potential zoonoses remain an underestimated health concern. The implementation of sustainable parasite control strategies should be promoted taking also into account the public health risk.

A quantitative analysis of attitudes and behaviours concerning sustainable parasite control practices from Scottish sheep farmers.

Nematode control in sheep, by strategic use of anthelmintics, is threatened by the emergence of roundworms populations that are resistant to one or more of the currently available drugs. In response to growing concerns of Anthelmintic Resistance (AR) development in UK sheep flocks, the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) initiative was set up in 2003 in order to promote practical guidelines for producers and advisors. To facilitate the uptake of 'best practice' approaches to nematode management, a comprehensive understanding of the various factors influencing sheep farmers' adoption of the SCOPS principles is required. A telephone survey of 400 Scottish sheep farmers was conducted to elicit attitudes regarding roundworm control, AR and 'best practice' recommendations. A quantitative statistical analysis approach using structural equation modelling was chosen to test the relationships between both observed and latent variables relating to general roundworm control beliefs. A model framework was developed to test the influence of socio-psychological factors on the uptake of sustainable (SCOPS) and known unsustainable (AR selective) roundworm control practices. The analysis identified eleven factors with significant influences on the adoption of SCOPS recommended practices and AR selective practices. Two models established a good fit with the observed data with each model explaining 54% and 47% of the variance in SCOPS and AR selective behaviours, respectively. The key influences toward the adoption of best practice parasite management, as well as demonstrating negative influences on employing AR selective practices were farmer's base line understanding about roundworm control and confirmation about lack of anthelmintic efficacy in a flock. The findings suggest that improving farmers' acceptance and uptake of diagnostic testing and improving underlying knowledge and awareness about nematode control may influence adoption of best practice behaviour.

A survey of UK prescribers' experience of, and opinions on, anthelmintic prescribing practices for livestock and equines.

The aim of this study was to determine practices, attitudes and experiences of UK prescribers of anthelmintics for horses and livestock. A questionnaire was sent by direct email to groups licenced to prescribe these medicines. These were veterinarians, Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs, registered with the Animal Medicines Training Regulatory Authority) and veterinary pharmacists. The survey was also advertised through social media. It comprised questions relating to demographics, training experiences, current prescribing practices, as well as personal opinions on anthelmintic selection, diagnostics and anthelmintic resistance. A total of 193 veterinarians and 326 SQPs were included in final analysis. Pharmacists were excluded from detailed analysis due to the low numbers that responded (n=3). The results indicated that SQP participants were more likely to receive post-certification parasitology training than the veterinarians, and that both channels consulted similar sources for information about helminths and their control (paper articles in journals, online sources). The SQP participants stated a higher frequency of face-to-face interactions with clients/customers (96.1%) than the veterinarians (76.4%), who stated a higher frequency of telephone interactions (55.1% and 73.5%, respectively). Veterinarians were more likely to state that there were specific factors that limited interactions with their clients (54.1%) than SQPs (19.6%), such as competition from other suppliers. SQP participants considered a wider range of factors as important when deciding on which anthelmintic to recommend (i.e. knowledge of specific parasites, knowledge of specific anthelmintics, discussion of measures to avoid anthelmintic resistance and time to talk with clients/customers); however, the veterinarian participants were more likely to consider the results of diagnostic tests. While discussions about anthelmintic resistance were stated with similar frequency in both groups, less frequent were specific discussions about anthelmintic sensitivity testing. In-house faecal egg count analysis was more likely to be available from those that prescribed anthelmintics for equines alone, compared to prescribers who dispensed anthelmintics for livestock alone or livestock and equines. The SQP participants indicated that they felt a large number of organisations were responsible for ensuring that anthelmintics are used responsibly, whilst veterinarian participants were more likely to place responsibility on the prescribers alone. Taken together, these findings provide an insight into how prescribers of anthelmintics in the UK interact with their clients/customers before and at the point of sale and act as a unique source of information on how best practice advice pertaining to sustainable helminth control is disseminated by the various prescribing channels.

Use of a multiple choice questionnaire to assess UK prescribing channels' knowledge of helminthology and best practice surrounding anthelmintic use in livestock and horses.

Grazing livestock and equines are at risk of infection from a variety of helminths, for which the primary method of control has long been the use of anthelmintics. Anthelmintic resistance is now widespread in a number of helminth species across the globe so it is imperative that best practice control principles be adopted to delay the further spread of resistance. It is the responsibility of all who prescribe anthelmintics (in the UK, this being veterinarians, suitably qualified persons (SQPs) and pharmacists) to provide adequate information on best practice approaches to parasite control at the point of purchase. Poor uptake of best practice guidelines at farm level has been documented; this could be due to a lack of, or inappropriate, advice at the point of anthelmintics purchase. Therefore, the aim here was to evaluate levels of basic knowledge of helminthology, best practice guidelines and dispensing legislation among veterinarians and SQPs in the UK, through a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) test, that was distributed online via targeted emails and social media sites. For each respondent, the percentage correct was determined (for the MCQ test overall and for subsections) and the results analysed initially using parametric and non-parametric statistics to compare differences between prescribing channels. The results showed that channels generally performed well; veterinarians achieved a mean total percentage correct of 79.7% (range 34.0-100%) and SQPs, a mean total percentage correct of 75.8% (range 38.5-100%) (p=0.051). The analysis indicated that veterinarians performed better in terms of knowledge of basic helminthology (p=0.001), whilst the SQP group performed better on legislation type questions (p=0.032). There was no significant difference in knowledge levels of best practice between the two channels. Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that veterinarians and those answering equine questions only performed significantly better than those answering all questions. Based on information gaps identified by analysis of individual questions, a number of areas for improvement in knowledge transfer to both channels are suggested to improve the quality of advice at the point of anthelmintics purchase.

Local variation in helminth burdens of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) from ecologically similar sites: temporal stability and relationships with hormone concentrations and social behaviour.

Populations of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in a fragmented forest habitat in north-east Poland showed local differences in helminth infection intensity, morphometric measures and organ weights that were consistent with differences at the same locations two years previously. Although overall intensities of infection were lower than previously, and there were some differences in the relative intensities of individual helminth species, site differences remained significant and were consistent across replicated subsites. In keeping with site differences in helminth infection and adrenal gland weight and asymmetry, voles at site 1 (high intensity infection) had higher circulating concentrations of corticosterone than those at site 2 (low intensity infection). Since males were sampled outside the breeding season, and thus non-scrotal, testosterone levels were low and did not differ between sites. As previously, voles at site 1 also showed greater hind foot asymmetry. Dyadic interactions between males from the same and different sites in the laboratory showed that males from site 1 were significantly less aggressive, especially when confronted with intruder males from site 2. There was no relationship between aggressiveness and intensity of infection overall or at site 1, but a significant negative relationship emerged at site 2. Aggression thus appeared to be downregulated at the higher intensity site independently of individual levels of infection. Terminal corticosterone concentrations were greater at site 1 and lower among residents that initiated more aggression. While corticosterone concentrations rose over the period of testing, they did not correlate with the amount of aggression initiated or received.

Local variation in helminth burdens of Egyptian spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus dimidiatus) from ecologically similar sites: relationships with hormone concentrations and social behaviour.

Populations of Egyptian spiny mice (Acomys cahirinus dimidiatus) in a fragmented montane wadi system in the Sinai showed significant differences in the abundance of gut helminths. Differences in parasite load between populations were positively associated with measures of androgen activity but showed no significant relationship with glucocorticoid activity. Social discrimination tests with adult males from different wadis showed that those from sites with greater helminth abundance were less likely to investigate odours from other males and were less aggressive when subsequently interacting with the odour donors. Subjects showed markedly more investigation towards the odours of males from distant wadis compared with those from their own or immediately neighbouring wadi, but were less aggressive when confronted with odour donors from distant wadis. Despite this, there was a positive relationship between the amount of investigation towards distant male odour and subsequent aggression towards the male. While aggressiveness was positively associated with measures of androgen and glucocorticoid activity, no significant relationship emerged with individual helminth infection. Thus aggressiveness appeared to relate to overall local population levels of infection rather than individual challenge.

Effect of acanthocephalan parasites on hiding behaviour in two species of shore crabs.

The effect of acanthocephalan parasites (Profilicollis spp.) on the hiding behaviour during low tide of two species of shore crabs (intermediate hosts), Macrophthalmus hirtipes (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) and Hemigrapsus crenulatus (Brachyura: Grapsidae), was examined at Blueskin Bay, South Island, New Zealand. Exposed M. hirtipes were found to have significantly higher infection levels than did hidden conspecifics. This pattern was not observed for H. crenulatus. Mean cystacanth numbers were found to be considerably higher in M. hirtipes than H. crenulatus. Crabs exposed at low tide are at a greater risk of predation by definitive shorebird hosts than are hidden conspecifics. Preferential manipulation of one intermediate host species over another could influence diversity within ecosystems.