2007, Vol 2 No 2, Article 18

Comparative Efficacy of Two Preparations of Albendazole

 against Natural Gastro Intestinal Strongyle Infestation of

 Sheep in Kashmir Valley

S. Nasreen, Syed Ghulam Jeelani and Nazir Ahmad Sheikh

Division of Parasitology, Disease Investigation Laboratory,
Sheep Husbandry Department, Kashmir, India

ABSTRACT

A study of the comparative efficacy of two preparations of albendazole against gastrointestinal strongyles in sheep was conducted. The eggs per gram (EPG) values were recorded pre and post treatment and percentile reduction for the two formulations were compared.

KEY WORDS

Albendazole, Micronized Albendazole, Strongyle, Sheep

INTRODUCTION

The practice of sheep grazing in open post-harvest paddy fields and alpine pastures of Kashmir valley results in heavy nematode infestation. Such infestations lead to high morbidity and low productivity in the affected animals. The seasonal migration of sheep also plays an important role in further dissemination of nematode eggs and larvae. Periodic anthelmintic dosing under such conditions becomes a necessity. Different formulations of the same drugs may affect its efficacy and some manufacturers claim better results with their formulation. In the present trial the results of comparative efficacy of albendazole and micronized albendazole against natural gastrointestinal strongyle infestation are reported.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty sheep of either sex infected naturally with gastrointestinal strongyles were selected from Burzahama and Zakura area of District Srinagar. These animals were randomly divided into three groups A, B, and C. Group “A” animal were administered no anthelmintic and acted as control. Group “B” animals were treated with a regular albendazole suspension and Group “C” animals with micronized albendazole, both administered orally at the same dose rate of 7.5 mg/ kg body weight.
The eggs per gram (EPG) values of faecal samples were recorded in all animals before treatment (day 0) and on the 7th, 14th, & 21st day post-treatment by Stoll’s dilution technique (Soulsby, 1982). The efficacy of the anthelmintic preparation was calculated by comparing the means values of EPG before treatment with their values at different post treatment intervals. (Taylor et al, 1993)

 Percent Efficacy = Mean EPG pre treatment – Mean EPG post treatment x 100
                                             Mean EPG pre treatment

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

In the untreated control animals (Group A) the strongyle EPG values showed a steady increase in count from day 0 to day 21. In groups “B” and “C” the EPG count values showed reduction which continued from day 7 to 21st post treatment (Table 1)
The percent reduction in EPG in animals treated with commonly available albendazole was 87.16, 92.27 and 97.74 on days 7, 14, and 21 respectively. These values were marginally higher (87.72, 98. 03 and 99.01) in animals treated with micronized albendazole. Similar values were reputed by Godbole et al (1998) Verma et al (1998) and Khillare et al (2002).
The present study indicates that albendazole is effective as an anthelmintic against ovine strongyle infestations and that minor improvement in efficacy is obtained with administration of micronized formulation of the drug.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors express their thanks to the Director and Deputy Director-Research, Sheep Husbandry Department for providing the necessary facilities. Assistance rendered by laboratory staff is also acknowledged.

REFERENCES

1. Godbole AD, Mulay BA and Kulkarni DH. Field trail to study the efficacy of six different anthelmintics on Gastrointestinal nematodes in Sheep. Indian Vet J 1988; 65:161-163

2. Khillare BS, Raote YV and Yadav GU. Studies on comparative efficacy of some anthelmintics in Sheep. Indian Vet J 2002;79:481-483

3. Souls EJL. Helminths Arthropods and Protozoa of Domesticated Animals 7th edn: ELBS and Bailiere Tindall, London., 1982

4. Taylor SM, Edger H and Kanny J. Prophylactic efficacy of Moxidection for peri-parturient ewes and summer lambs. Vet Rec 1993;133: 270-271

5. Varma, TK and Panda MR. Chemotherapeutic trail of albendazole against gastrointestinal nematodiasis in sheep and goats Indian Vet: J 1998;75 550-551

Table 1

Percent reduction of fecal EPG of strongyle specie with two preparations of albendazole