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Francis EK, Antonopoulos A, Westman ME, McKay-Demeler J, Laing R, Šlapeta J. A mixed amplicon metabarcoding and sequencing approach for surveillance of drug resistance to levamisole and benzimidazole in Haemonchus spp. Int J Parasitol 2024; 54:55-64. [PMID: 37536387 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2023.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Anthelmintic-resistant parasitic nematodes present a significant threat to sustainable livestock production worldwide. The ability to detect the emergence of anthelmintic resistance at an early stage, and therefore determine which drugs remain most effective, is crucial for minimising production losses. Despite many years of research into the molecular basis of anthelmintic resistance, no molecular-based tools are commercially available for the diagnosis of resistance as it emerges in field settings. We describe a mixed deep amplicon sequencing approach to determine the frequency of the levamisole (LEV)-resistant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within arc-8 exon 4 (S168T) in Haemonchus spp., coupled with benzimidazole (BZ)-resistant SNPs within β-tubulin isotype-1 and the internal transcribed spacer-2 (ITS-2) nemabiome. This constitutes the first known multi-drug and multi-species molecular diagnostic developed for helminths of veterinary importance. Of the ovine, bovine, caprine and camelid Australian field isolates we tested, S168T was detected in the majority of Haemonchus spp. populations from sheep and goats, but rarely at a frequency greater than 16%; an arbitrary threshold we set based on whole genome sequencing (WGS) of LEV-resistant Haemonchus contortus GWBII. Overall, BZ resistance was far more prevalent in Haemonchus spp. than LEV resistance, confirming that LEV is still an effective anthelmintic class for small ruminants in New South Wales, Australia. The mixed amplicon metabarcoding approach described herein paves the way towards the use of large scale sequencing as a surveillance technology in the field, the results of which can be translated into evidence-based recommendations for the livestock sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kate Francis
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Alistair Antonopoulos
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, G61 1QH Scotland, United Kingdom; Kreavet, Kruibeke, Belgium
| | - Mark Edward Westman
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales 2568, Australia
| | - Janina McKay-Demeler
- Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Menangle, New South Wales 2568, Australia
| | - Roz Laing
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, G61 1QH Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Jan Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia; The University of Sydney Institute for Infectious Diseases, New South Wales 2006, Australia.
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Heuer L, Petry G, Pollmeier M, Schaper R, Deuster K, Schmidt H, Blazejak K, Strube C, Di Cesare A, Traversa D, Schnyder M, McKay-Demeler J, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Mangold-Gehring S, Böhm C. Efficacy of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1% spot-on formulation (Advocate®) in the prevention and treatment of feline aelurostrongylosis. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:65. [PMID: 32051008 PMCID: PMC7017503 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3937-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In three randomized, controlled laboratory efficacy studies, the efficacy in the prevention of patent infections of a topical combination of imidacloprid 10%/moxidectin 1% (Advocate® spot-on formulation for cats, Bayer Animal Health GmbH) against larval stages and immature adults of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, as well as the treatment efficacy of a single or three monthly treatments against adult A. abstrusus, were evaluated. Methods Cats were experimentally inoculated with 300–800 third-stage larvae (L3). Each group comprised 8 animals and the treatment dose was 10 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) imidacloprid and 1 mg/kg bw moxidectin in each study. Prevention of the establishment of patent infections was evaluated by two treatments at a monthly interval at three different time points before and after challenge infection. Curative efficacy was tested by one or three treatments after the onset of patency. Worm counts at necropsy were used for efficacy calculations. Results In Study 1, the control group had a geometric mean (GM) of 28.8 adult nematodes and the single treatment group had a GM of 3.4 (efficacy 88.3%). In Study 2, the control group had a GM of 14.3, the prevention group had a GM of 0 (efficacy 100%), while the treatment group had a GM of 0.1 (efficacy 99.4%). In Study 3, the GM worm burden in the control group was 32.6 compared to 0 in all three prevention groups (efficacy 100% for all of those groups). Conclusions The monthly administration of Advocate® reliably eliminated early larval stages and thereby prevented lung damage from and patent infections with A. abstrusus in cats. Regarding treatment, a single application of Advocate® reduced the worm burden, but it did not sufficiently clear the infection. In contrast, three monthly treatments were safe and highly efficacious against A. abstrusus.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea Heuer
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Katrin Blazejak
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Strube
- Institute for Parasitology, Centre for Infection Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Angela Di Cesare
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Donato Traversa
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | - Manuela Schnyder
- Institute of Parasitology, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Janina McKay-Demeler
- Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Dawbuts Pty Ltd, Camden, NSW, Australia
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Kohn M, Krücken J, McKay-Demeler J, Pachnicke S, Krieger K, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Dermacentor reticulatus in Berlin/Brandenburg (Germany): Activity patterns and associated pathogens. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:191-206. [PMID: 30385074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Dermacentor reticulatus is one of the most important European tick species. However, its spatial distribution, seasonality and regional vector role are not well known. This study aimed to gather information about abundance patterns of questing ticks and associated pathogens in unfed female adult D. reticulatus in the Berlin/Brandenburg area. Using the flagging method, questing ticks were collected at four sites in 2010-2012 and 2000 D. reticulatus were analysed regarding infection with Rickettsia, Babesia, Borrelia and Anaplasmataceae by conventional or real-time PCR. Dermacentor reticulatus showed a bimodal activity pattern: highest numbers of adult ticks were recorded between March and end of May (mean 50 ticks/h) and from mid-August until end of November (mean 102 ticks/h). During summer, almost complete inactivity was observed (mean 0.4 ticks/h). Sporadic samplings from December to February revealed tick activity also during winter (mean 47 ticks/h), which was characterised by large fluctuations. Using negative binomial regression analysis, significant influences of the variables sampling site, season and temperature on the abundance of questing D. reticulatus were determined. The parameters relative humidity and year were not of significant importance. PCR analyses showed an average prevalence of 64% for Rickettsia sp. Large differences in pathogen frequencies were observed between sampling sites (31.4-78.3%). Regression analysis demonstrated a significant influence of the sampling site but not of season and year. Examinations regarding other pathogen groups indicated prevalences of 0.25% (Borrelia sp.) and 0.05% (Anaplasmataceae) but absence of Babesia sp. Sequencing of positive samples revealed infections with Rickettsia raoultii, Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia afzelii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. The study shows stable populations of D. reticulatus in Berlin/Brandenburg. People should be aware of ticks throughout the year since Ixodes ricinus is co-endemic and active in spring, summer and autumn while adult D. reticulatus are active throughout the year and even in winter during periods of frost as long as it is warming up during the day. Prevalence of R. raoultii in the present study is among the highest described for D. reticulatus. Borrelia miyamotoi was detected for the first time in D. reticulatus, illustrating the importance of screening studies to evaluate the pathogen structure in D. reticulatus populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mareen Kohn
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Janina McKay-Demeler
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Klemens Krieger
- Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Alfred-Nobel-Straße 50, 40789, Monheim, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
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Krücken J, Fraundorfer K, Mugisha JC, Ramünke S, Sifft KC, Geus D, Habarugira F, Ndoli J, Sendegeya A, Mukampunga C, Aebischer T, McKay-Demeler J, Gahutu JB, Mockenhaupt FP, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G. Comment on "The optimal timing of post-treatment sampling for the assessment of anthelminthic drug efficacy against Ascaris infections in humans". Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2018; 8:329-330. [PMID: 29800794 PMCID: PMC6039316 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
A recent publication by Levecke et al. (Int. J. Parasitol, 2018, 8, 67–69) provides important insights into the kinetics of worm expulsion from humans following treatment with albendazole. This is an important aspect of determining the optimal time-point for post treatment sampling to examine anthelmintic drug efficacy. The authors conclude that for the determination of drug efficacy against Ascaris, samples should be taken not before day 14 and recommend a period between days 14 and 21. Using this recommendation, they conclude that previous data (Krücken et al., 2017; Int. J. Parasitol, 7, 262–271) showing a reduction of egg shedding by 75.4% in schoolchildren in Rwanda and our conclusions from these data should be interpreted with caution. In reply to this, we would like to indicate that the very low efficacy of 0% in one school and 52–56% in three other schools, while the drug was fully efficient in other schools, cannot simply be explained by the time point of sampling. Moreover, there was no correlation between the sampling day and albendazole efficacy. We would also like to indicate that we very carefully interpreted our data and, for example, nowhere claimed that we found anthelmintic resistance. Rather, we stated that our data indicated that benzimidazole resistance may be suspected in the study population. We strongly agree that the data presented by Levecke et al. suggests that recommendations for efficacy testing of anthelmintic drugs should be revised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Krücken
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Kira Fraundorfer
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jean Claude Mugisha
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Sabrina Ramünke
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kevin C Sifft
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Geus
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Habarugira
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Jules Ndoli
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Augustin Sendegeya
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Caritas Mukampunga
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Toni Aebischer
- Mycotic and Parasitic Agents and Mycobacteria, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Jean Bosco Gahutu
- University Teaching Hospital of Butare, University of Rwanda, Butare, Rwanda
| | - Frank P Mockenhaupt
- Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
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Simoneit C, McKay-Demeler J, Merle R. Anwendung der selektiven Entwurmung in deutschen Pferdebetrieben. Tierarztl Prax Ausg G Grosstiere Nutztiere 2018; 46:87-93. [DOI: 10.15653/tpg-170566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Zusammenfassung
Gegenstand und Ziel: Ein wichtiger Bestandteil für eine gute Tiergesundheit in Pferdebetrieben ist das Entwurmungsmanagement. Ziel der Studie war, Unterschiede im Management zwischen Betrieben mit strategischer und selektiver Entwurmung darzustellen. Material und Methoden: Mithilfe eines Online-Fragebogens wurden von Pferdehaltern Informationen zu den Entwurmungsgewohnheiten sowie zu Haltung und Hygienemaßnahmen erhoben. Ergebnisse: Zur Auswertung standen 283 Fragebögen zur Verfügung. Insgesamt 155 Betriebe führten eine strategische, regelmäßige und 77 Betriebe eine selektive Entwurmung durch. Bei Betrieben mit selektiver Entwurmung handelte es sich eher um kleinere, privat organisierte Pferdehaltungen. In diesen Betrieben wurden Neuzugänge stärker kontrolliert und die Weiden häufiger entmistet. In Betrieben mit selektiver Entwurmung erfolgte die anthelminthische Behandlung signifikant häufiger entweder gar nicht oder nur einmal pro Jahr (55%), während 97% der Betriebe mit strategischer Entwurmung häufiger als einmal pro Jahr entwurmten (p ≤ 0,001). Die jährlichen Kosten für Entwurmung und Kotprobenuntersuchungen pro Pferd lagen in Betrieben mit selektiver Entwurmung durchschnittlich 37,50 € höher als in Betrieben mit strategischer Entwurmung. In 69% der Betriebe mit strategischer Entwurmung waren die Befragten bereit, das bestehende Entwurmungsmanagement zu ändern, und 43% hatten Interesse, die selektive Entwurmung einzuführen. Schlussfolgerung und klinische Relevanz: Bei selektiver Entwurmung erfolgen deutlich weniger anthelminthische Behandlungen. Die resultierenden Einsparungen heben allerdings nicht die höheren Kosten für Kotprobenuntersuchungen auf. Insgesamt bestand eine geringe Bereitschaft, das Weidemanagement zu verbessern. Die Kombination aus gutem Weideund Entwurmungsmanagement hat große Bedeutung für eine erfolgreiche Durchführung der selektiven Entwurmung.
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