Studies on monieziasis of sheep I. Prevalence and antihelminthic effects of some plant extracts, a light and electron microscopic study.

Out of 2,343 examined sheep throughout the whole year, 271 were found to be infected with tapeworms (11.5%). The highest infection rate (22.1%) was recorded in autumn, while the lowest (6%) occurred in summer. Six species of cestodes were identified according to their prevalence: Moniezia expansa (74%), Moniezia denticulata (8.5%), Moniezia benedeni (4.8%), Moniezia trigonophora (2.7%), and Thysaniezia giardi (2.7%), T. giardi was recorded in Egypt for the first time. M. expansa was found throughout the year with two peaks in January (92.3%) and June (88.5%). SEM examination revealed that M. expansa scolex has four triangular suckers guarded by an X-shaped fibrous band that makes them open permanently. Also, there is a Y-shaped apical part at the scolex center which may be an embryonically non-developed rostellum. The whole worm body surface is covered with unidirectional microtriches. TEM showed that the tegument is underlaid by a thick fibrous interstitial layer below which an outer circular and an inner longitudinal muscular layer are arranged. Beneath these structures the subtegumental cells are found which have spherical electron-dense inclusions and various other cell organelles. Moreover, M. expansa has interproglottidal glands which contain secretory vesicles and secretions. For biological control of this parasite, different concentrations of crude plant extract of Artemisia cina were used in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the results indicated that the plant extract is efficacious at all concentrations tested. Electron microscopic examination showed that many structures of the treated worms were affected. The most affected sites were the scolex and the microtriches of the outer tegumental surface. In vivo, treatment of heavily infected animals showed an antihelminthic effect, since the complete absence of eggs was recorded 9 days after treatment when fecal investigations were done.

Efficacy of Commiphora molmol (Mirazid) against sheep naturally infected with monieziasis expansa in Al-Santa Center, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt.

The efficacy of Commiphora molmol or Myrrh (Mirazid) was evaluated in treating sheep naturally infected with Moniezia expansa. Total doses of one, two or three capsules (300 mg each) were given for one, two, three, four, five, six, seven and eight successive days on an empty stomach an hour before offering their breakfast. Every day the stools of the three groups were examined microscopically and macroscopically for eggs and/or gravid segments. When the stool was negative, the treatment was stopped. That sheep group was examined macroscopically after being slaughtered for adult worms in intestine. A total dose of 3600 mg given as three capsules per days for four days gave a cure rate of 100.0% with no clinical side effects. A dose of 4800 mg given as two capsules per day for eight days gave a cure rate of 100.0% with no clinical side effects. On the other hand, a total dose of 2400 given as one capsule per day for eight days gave a cure rate 40.0%. Consequently, Myrrh extract of the medicinal plant, Commiphora molmol (Mirazid) proved to be safe and very effective in sheep monieziasis expansa.

Integrated pharmacological assessment of flubendazole potential for use in sheep: disposition kinetics, liver metabolism and parasite diffusion ability.

Flubendazole (FLBZ) is a broad spectrum benzimidazole methylcarbamate anthelmintic widely used in poultry and swine. However, there is no information available on the pharmacological behaviour of FLBZ in ruminants. The work reported here was addressed to evaluate the potential of FLBZ for use in sheep. The integrated assessment included evaluation of FLBZ and metabolites plasma disposition kinetics, liver metabolism and ex vivo ability to diffuse into the cestode parasite Moniezia benedeni. In a cross-over kinetic study, six healthy Corriedale sheep were treated with FLBZ by intravenous (i.v.) (4% solution) and intraruminal (i.r.) (4% suspension) administrations at the same dosage (5 mg/kg) with a 21-day washout period between treatments. Blood samples were collected between 0 and 72 h post-treatments. Sheep liver microsomes were incubated with 40 microm FLBZ and specimens of the cestode parasite M. benedeni, collected from untreated animals, were incubated (5-120 min) with FLBZ and its reduced (R-FLBZ) metabolite (5 microm). Samples of plasma, microsomal incubations and parasite material were prepared and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography to measure FLBZ and its metabolites. FLBZ parent drug showed a fast disposition being detected in the bloodstream up to 36 h after its i.v. administration. Both R-FLBZ and hydrolyzed FLBZ (H-FLBZ) metabolites were recovered in plasma as early as 5 min after the i.v. treatment in sheep. The plasma AUC ratios for R-FLBZ and FLBZ (AUC(R-FLBZ)/AUC(FLBZ)) were 4.07 i.v. and 5.55 i.r., respectively. R-FLBZ achieved a significantly higher (P < 0.01) C(max) value (0.14 microg/mL at 17.3 h post-treatment) than that observed for the parent drug FLBZ (0.04 microg/mL at 14.4 h post-treatment). Low plasma concentrations of FLBZ parent drug were measured between 6 and 48 h, and only trace concentrations of H-FLBZ were detected during a short period of time after the i.r. treatment. Consistently, sheep liver microsomes metabolized FLBZ into its reduced metabolite at a rate of 9.46 +/- 2.72 nmol/mg/h. Both FLBZ and R-FLBZ demonstrated a similar ability to quickly diffuse through the tegument of the cestode parasite. The data on FLBZ pharmacological behaviour presented here contribute to evaluate its potential to be developed as an anthelmintic for broad spectrum parasite control in ruminants.

Human Monieziasis expansa: the first Egyptian parastic zoonosis.

This paper reports the first Egyptian zoonotic infection with the common tapeworm of sheep, Moniezia expansa. Perhaps this is the first human monieziasis expansa in the sheep raising countries worldwide. Diagnosis was based on recovery of the characteristic eggs from the stool of a fifteen-years-old shepherd. A single dose of Niclosamide one gram proved effective.

[Control of gastrointestinal helminthiasis in pasture-reared lambs]. / Tlumení gastrointestinálních helmintóz pri pastevním odchovu jehnat.

Two sheep herds kept in different geographic conditions with spring lambing by the end of March and April (herd No. 1: 400 ewes, 600 metres above sea level; herd No. 2: 450 ewes, 300 metres above sea level) were examined. The dynamics of gastrointestinal nematode and Moniezia spp. cestode egg counts in samples taken regularly every 4 to 5 weeks was studied during the year 1995 with the intention to verify the system of effective control of these helminth infections under pasture conditions of lamb rearing. In ewes a significant rise in gastrointestinal nematode egg counts was proved during the lambing season, "spring rise phenomenon", and during the summer pasture until autumn months with maximum EPG values reaching 150 (Figs. 1 and 2). In lambs that started grazing at 1 to 4 weeks of age, the excretion steeply rose to maximum EPG values 350 and 290, respectively, after 4 to 5 weeks of grazing (Figs. 1 and 2). In order to control these rising infections, ewes were treated with antihelmintic albendazol by the end of February (herd No. 1) and in March (herd No. 2) and lambs during the first or third decade of July. This anthelmintic treatment significantly lowered egg excretion to EPG values lower than 30 in ewes and 50 or 60, respectively, in lambs. Later, during the summer and autumn months, a mild rise of egg counts was found in lambs. These maxima were liquidated anthelmintis treatment in both herds in late autumn months and it also lowered helminth infections to minimum during winter months (EPG values lower than 50). The excretion of Moniezia spp. eggs had the same dynamics as that gastrointestinal nematodes. Values of lamb infection prevalence reached 21% in herd No. 1 and 29% in herd No. 2. Anthelmintic treatment during July controlled cestode findings in lambs. Albendazol (Vermitan susp. 2.5%), dosed 5 mg/kg of body weight, proved highly effective in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes and Moniezia spp. cestodes.

[The technology for manufacturing antiparasitic preparations. 7. Preparation G-1460 and its use for the treatment of monieziasis and intestinal nematodiases]. / Tekhnologiia proizvodstva protivoparazitarnykh preparatov. 7. Preparat G-1460 i ego primenenie dlia lecheniia moniezioza i kishechnykh nematodozov.

A procedure was developed for the synthesis of the anthelminthic G-1460. The therapeutical doses (20 and 25 mg/kg) of the agent were defined for the treatment of monieziasis and gastrointestinal nematodes on an individual basis.

[The technology for manufacturing antiparasitic preparations. 5. The development of a technology for producing the anthelmintic triclonate and the evaluation of its therapeutic efficacy in monieziasis]. / Tekhnologiia proizvodstva protivoparazitarnykh preparatov. 5. Razrabotka tekhnologii polucheniia antigel'mintika triklonata i otsenka ego lechebnoi éffektivnosti pri moniezioze.

A procedure has been developed to manufacture the anthelminthic Triclonate. The agent was tested for the treatment of sheep's natural monieziasis infection and it was found to have a high activity.

Anthelmintic efficacy of fenbendazole against cestodes in sheep and cattle.

The anthelmintic efficacy of fenbendazole FBZ against Moniezia expansa was tested in sheep and cattle at a dosage rate of 10 mg FBZ per kg body mass. Twenty seven out of 30 lambs and 8 out of 12 calves were cured of the infestation.

Antiparasitic agents. 3. Synthesis and anthelmintic activities of novel 2-pyridinyl-5-isothiocyanatobenzimidazoles.

The preparation and anthelmintic activities of a series of 2-pyridinyl-5-isothiocyanatobenzimidazoles are described. In the primary oral mouse screen, six derivatives showed 100% taeniacidal activity at 0.2% in diet. The most active member in this series, 1c, is potentially an effective gastrointestinal nematocide in sheep at 50 mg/kg po.

Efficacy of oxfendazole against natural infestations of nematodes and cestodes in sheep in Egypt.

Oxfendazole liquid suspension (Systamex; Wellcome) was administered orally at the dose of 4.5 mg per kg to 800 indigenous Egyptian sheep clinically affected with Dictyocaulus filaria, Moniezia expansa, Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta, Nematodirus spp, Trichostrongylus axei, Cooperia curticei, Trichuris ovis and Oesophagostomum spp. A 100 per cent clearance was recorded for all parasites with the exception of T ovis which were markedly reduced in number.