In Malaysia, helminthiasis due to strongyles such as Haemonchuscontortus and coccidiosis caused by Eimeria sp. have been reported to cause severe economic losses in small ruminants livestock industry. This paper reports the occurrence of gastrointestinal parasite infections on small ruminants situated in Seberang Perai Selatan district, Penang. Faecal samples were obtained from a total of 193 animals,randomly selected from 14 ruminant farms. The results of this survey indicates that helminthiasis and coccidiosis is rampant insheep and goat farms. The most common infections diagnosed were helminthiasis (77.72%) and coccidiosis (60.10%) followedby Moniezia sp. (5.18%). From this study, it shows that parasitic diseases can be managed by good animal husbandryin farms since high parasitic infections were observed in farms that were poorly managed based on nutrition, hygiene andbasic animal husbandry practices. The smallholders depended on health and extension services from the State Veterinary Department. A continuous monitoring of small ruminant farms by the Department of Veterinary Services will provide important information for assisting farmers with managing the spread of parasitic infections and maintaining the productivity of animals.

Ten controlled tests were done between 1972 and 1989, in lambs on pasture, evaluating activity of fenbendazole (FBZ; 5 mg/kg of body weight), oxfendazole (OFZ; 3.5 and 10 mg/kg), oxibendazole (OBZ; 10 mg/kg), pyrantel pamoate (PRT; 25 mg of base/kg), and thiabendazole (TBZ; 44 and 50 mg/kg) against natural infections of helminths, with emphasis on 2 strains (A and B) of Haemonchus contortus. Strain A was phenothiazine-susceptible and strain B was phenothiazine-resistant when isolated in 1955. For approximately 10 years prior to these tests, sheep infected with both strains had been treated periodically each year with several compounds, including thiabendazole, which was used many more times than the other drugs. For this study, 4 (FBZ, OFZ, OBZ, and PRT) of the 5 compounds were evaluated in either 1 or 2 controlled tests. The fifth compound, TBZ, was used for 5 tests. Strain A H contortus was resistant to TBZ for all years tested, but more susceptible to FBZ, OFZ, OBZ, and PRT. Overall, strain B was susceptible to TBZ (with a few exceptions), and also to FBZ, OFZ, OBZ (activity less on immature forms), and PRT. Other abomasal parasites (2 species of Ostertagia and 3 of Trichostrongylus) were found in low numbers, but removal overall was good for the compounds tested. Trichostrongylus axei, found in higher numbers than species of Ostertagia and other species of Trichostrongylus, were effectively removed by all compounds in most cases. Activities of TBZ and PRT were also evaluated against several species of intestinal helminths, most of which were found in low numbers. Cooperia curticei were inconsistently removed by TBZ, but activity of PRT was effective. Both compounds were active on mature Nematodirus spathiger, but TBZ had variable activity on immature forms. Strongyloides papillosus were effectively removed by TBZ. Other parasites found in lower numbers than the aforementioned 3 species were Capillaria spp, Trichuris spp, and Oesophagostomum columbianum; removal was variable for both drugs.

Praziquantel was used successfully for treatment of a small number of dogs and 1 cat infected with Paragonimus kellicotti. To further evaluate the usefulness of this drug in treating such infections, 7 cats and 7 dogs were inoculated orally with metacercariae (12 and 20 to 22, respectively) obtained from crayfish, then were treated after the infections became patent; 2 cats and 2 dogs served as noninfected controls. Beginning 1 week before infection, and continuing weekly thereafter, physical, hematologic, and fecal examinations were performed on each animal; thoracic radiography was performed every other week. By postinoculation week 6, all dogs given metacercariae had patent infection diagnosed on the basis of positive results of fecal examination. By postinoculation week 7, 5 cats had confirmed patent infection, but 2 cats given metacercariae never had patent infection or had signs of infection. Clinical signs of infection were minor and included increased respiratory tract noise, slight inducible cough, or mild dyspnea. Transient eosinophilia was detected in dogs around postinoculation week 3. Pretreatment radiography revealed cavitated lesions in cats only; pleural lines and patchy infiltrates in cats and dogs; or pneumothorax in dogs only. The treatment regimen consisted of 23 mg of praziquantel/kg of body weight given every 8 hours for 3 days; 1 infected cat and dog were not treated. By 11 days after treatment, eggs had disappeared from the feces of infected animals, and marked resolution of lung lesions was evident radiographically. The 2 untreated animals and 1 treated dog were euthanatized and necropsied to verify lesions and their resolution. All treated animals were considered cured of infection by use of this treatment regimen.

gastrointestinal nematodes in calves (exper.) causing severe anemia, effect on preparation of carrier erythrocyte ghosts and erythrocyte survival

nematodes, lambs, 11 anthelmintics compared using medicated feeds or multiple small doses

Tablets containing praziquantel, pyrantel embonate, and febantel were tested for efficacy against helminths in dogs. A single treatment with this drug combination gave 100% reductions in Toxocara canis and Taenia hydatigena in experimentally induced infections in dogs. In dogs with naturally acquired infections, treatment gave > 97 to 98% reductions in fecal egg counts attributable to Toxascaris leonina, T canis, and Uncinaria stenocephala. Efficacy against Trichuris vulpis was > 92%.

To test the effect of a parasite control program for cattle, 2 groups of similar composition were grazed on separate, but equivalent, improved pastures. Cattle in 1 group were treated with fenbendazole at 5.0 mg/kg of body weight at the time they were turned out on pasture in the spring and again at midsummer, when the cattle were moved to a new pasture. The control group was not treated. Parasite egg counts were significantly (P < 0.04) lower in the treated group. Trichostrongyle-type eggs were the most prevalent throughout the, year, except in the month of May, when Strongyloides papillosus eggs were predominant. The number of worms recovered from tracer calves was lower for those on pastures where the treated group grazed than for those on- the control group's pasture. The most consistently recovered parasite was Ostertagia ostertagi, and hypobiosis was observed.

Efficacy of oral administration of 20 mg of triclaben-dazole/kg of body weight was evaluated against 12-week Fascioloides magna infections in 12 sheep, each inoculated orally with 250 viable metacercariae. From 6 sheep treated with triclabendazole, 1 immature F magna was recovered, whereas 116 F magna with a mean length of 19 +/- 6.5 mm were recovered from 6 untreated control sheep. Efficacy of triclabendazole was 99.14%. Signs of toxicosis or illness were not observed in the sheep.

The efficacy of febantel paste formulation (6 and 12 mg/kg) against natural infections of gastrointestinal helminths in lambs (n = 33) in Kentucky was evaluated in a controlled test. For the test, 23 lambs were treated orally (17 at 6 mg/kg and 6 at 12 mg/kg) and 10 lambs were not treated. Removals at both dosages in treated lambs were 95% to 100% for species of immature and mature Haemonchus, Trichostrongylus, and Cooperia; and mature Ostertagia females, Nematodirus, and Strongyloides. For immature Nematodirus, removals were 92% and 77% at the dosages of 6 and 12 mg/kg, respectively. Only a few specimens (av less than 100) of some other species or stages were found in the nontreated group and removal of them (at both dosages) were 94% to 100% for Ostertagia (immature and males), Strongyloides (immature), Oesophagostomum (immature), and Monieiza (mature); and 61% (at 6 mg/kg) and 100% (at 12 mg/kg) for Capillaria (mature), 0% for Trichuris (mature, at both dosages), and 67% (at 6 mg/kg) and 100% (at 12 mg/kg) for Oesophagostomum (mature).

Nematodes resistant to anthelmintics are of increasing concern to sheep farms in Malaysia. Thus to ascertain the degree of anthelmintic resistance in the sheep population, faecal egg count reduction (FECR) trials were conducted on sheep in the Veterinary Institute, Kluang. A total of 60 weaned sheep were selected and divided into six (6) equivalent groups. Group A was treated with ivermectin, Group B with Closantel, Group C with Fenbendazole, Group D with Levamisole, Group E with Cydectin and the remaining 10 were untreated controls. Faecal samples were collected from each sheep before treatment and repeated on day 14, 30, 45 and 60 post treatment. The worm egg counts were estimated by using McMaster’s method. The population of worm was classified as resistant if the adjusted percentage reduction was less than 90%. It is concluded that only levamisole can be used for helminthiasis control. The results showed that worms at the Sheep Unit of the Veterinary Institute, Kluang was suspected to be resistant to Ivermectin, Closantel and Cydectin. The worm population showed total resistance to fenbendazole. The strongyle population is mainly made up of 80% Haemonchus contortus and 20% of species were Oesophagostomum and Bunostomum.