[Efficacy evaluation of epsiprantel (Cestex) against Echinococcus mutilocularis in dogs and cats]. / Prüfung der Wirkung von Epsiprantel (Cestex) gegen Echinococcus multilocularis bei Hunden und Katzen.

Helminth-free dogs and cats were experimentally infected with protoscoleces of Echinococcus multilocularis and used in controlled trials for efficacy evaluation of the cestodicide epsiprantel. In two separate trials each 4 dogs were treated at day 20 post infection (p.i.) with average oral dosages of 5.1 (4.9-5.3) and 5.4 (5.2-5.8) mg/kg body weight (b.w.) epsiprantel, respectively, and necropsied at day 24 p.i. Among each 4 dogs of the two untreated control groups all animals were infected and had high intestinal worm burdens with averages of 33.575 and 100.725 E. multilocularis specimens per animal (individual worm burdens in group Ib 59,500-149,800, group IIb 20,500-43,200); in the two groups of treated dogs the average worm burdens were reduced by 99.6 and 99.9%. Among 8 treated dogs 4 were helminth-free, the other 4 had residual worm burdens (10-70 in 3 dogs, 1480 in 1 dog). In each 5 cats single oral treatments with average doses of 2.7 (2.7-2.8) and 5.5 (5.5-5.5) mg/kg b.w. epsiprantel were 100% effective against E. multilocularis 20 days p.i. and eliminated the worm burdens from all 10 animals. In the untreated group of 5 cats the average worm burden was 2864 per animal (individual worm burdens 20-6830). Side effects of the drug treatment were not observed. The results of the study show that in single therapeutic dosages recommended by the producer (dogs 5.5 mg, cats 2.75 mg/kg b.w.) epsiprantel eliminates E. multilocularis to over 99% or completely, but residual worm burdens may persist in some animals.

[Is dirofilariasis in dogs spreading in south Switzerland?]. / Breitet sich in der Südschweiz die Dirofilariose beim Hund aus?

Microfilarial infections could be detected by the Difil Test in 11 (2.2%) of 479 blood samples of clinically asymptomatic dogs from the South of Switzerland. Dirofilaria repens and D. immitis were identified in 3 (0.6%) and 8 dogs (1.6%), respectively, by the acid phosphatase activity of the microfilariae. 10 dogs with microfilaremia had been abroad or a stay outside Switzerland could not be excluded. One dog diagnosed with D. immitis could have had acquired the infection in the canton Tessin according to information given by the owner. Dogs with microfilaremia are a potential source of infection for mosquitoes. An indigenous cycle of infection in the South of Switzerland is possible since the mean average temperature in summer is above 18 degrees C which is necessary for optimal parasite development in the vector. A strict control of imported dogs or animals exposed to the disease in endemic regions as well as the therapy of infected dogs in the South of Switzerland is advisable.

[Endoparasite infection in stray and abandoned dogs in southern Switzerland]. / Endoparasitenbefall bei Findel- und Verzicht-Hunden in der Südschweiz.

At their entry into the animal domicile, "La Stampa", in Lugano (canton Tessin), 217 stray dogs and 154 unwanted dogs were examined for infections with intestinal parasites, filariae, Babesia and Leishmania. The following techniques were used for detection of intestinal parasites: combined sedimentation-flotation, MIFC technique and scotch tape adherence test. Prevalences of helminth egg excretion in stray dogs and in unwanted dogs, respectively, were as follows: 34% and 22% for Trichuris, 17% and 14% for Toxocara, 3% and 5% for hookworms, 4% and 0% for taeniids. Dipylidium, Toxascaris and Capillaria were diagnosed sporadically. Samples positive for taeniids were further tested for the presence of Echinococcus coproantigens in a sandwich ELISA: one of 9 dogs was strongly positive. This dog was euthanized for security reasons and upon dissection, 11 Taenia hydatigena and more than 10,000 gravid Echinococcus granulosus worms were found. Microfilariae were detected in the blood of 3 stray dogs and one unwanted dog by the Difil-test. In all 4 cases the infective species was Dirofilaria immitis as confirmed by morphology, acid phosphatase activity analysis of microfilariae and by detection of specific antigens in blood plasma by ELISA. Specific antibodies against antigen of Leishmania infantum could not be detected in any of these dogs by ELISA. However, 3 stray dogs had specific antibodies against antigen of Babesia canis as demonstrated by IFAT.

Use of IgG- and IgM-specific ELISAs for the assessment of exposure status of chickens to Eimeria species.

Simple and reliable methods for the determination of the exposure status of chickens to Eimeria species are required. For this purpose an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting specific IgG and IgM antibodies in serum samples was evaluated. Sera from chickens hyperimmunized by intramuscular injection of a saline extract of Eimeria tenella sporozoites were used to determine optimal reaction conditions in the ELISA which were found to be at a serum dilution of 1:100 and an antigen concentration of 0.2 microgram per reaction well. Saline extracts of sporulated oocysts and purified sporozoites of E. tenella were also potent antigens but most studies were carried out with sporozoite antigen. In a trial with 80 chickens, concentrations of serum IgM directed against sporozoite antigen increased significantly 9 days after primary infection with 10,000 oocysts of E. tenella per animal. IgM levels subsequently decreased rapidly reaching a plateau level only slightly higher than uninfected controls by about 15 days post-infection. In chickens challenged with 10,000 oocysts 21 days after primary infection significant increases of IgM levels were observed 2, 6 and 12 days later. In contrast IgG levels increased only slightly after primary infection but significant increases occurred after challenge infection so that by Day 12 after challenge sporozoite-specific IgG levels were much higher than in control chickens. Thus, it may be possible to discriminate between chickens actually infected with Eimeria (as indicated by high levels of antiparasite IgM), chickens which have been repeatedly exposed to Eimeria (as indicated by high levels of antiparasite IgG) and unexposed birds. The applicability of this ELISA, using sporozoite antigen of E. tenella to practical situations was substantially confirmed, since sampling of over 1000 sera from commercially reared broilers and laying hens indicated that broilers, maintained on medicated food, had low levels of IgM and IgG whereas 84-97% of the laying hens, receiving drug-free feed, had relatively high IgG concentrations. These results reflect low and rare exposure to Eimeria infections in broilers and repeated exposure of the hens.