A survey of gastrointestinal parasites of alpacas (&lt;i&gt;Vicugna pacos&lt;/i&gt;) raised in Japan

Hyuga, Ayako; Matsumoto, Jun

doi:10.1292/jvms.15-0546

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The eggs of Nematodirus are easily differentiated from those of the families Trichostrongylidae or Chabertiidae and were not considered in the faecal egg count reduction test. The ruminant strongylids Ostertagia ostertagi , O. lyrata , Teladorsagia circumcincta , Marshallagia marshalli , Haemonchus contortus , Trichostrongylus axei , T. colubriformis , T. longispicularis , T. vitrinus , Cooperia oncophora , C. pectinata , C. punctata , Bunostomum trigonophorum , Oesophagostomum columbianum , O. venulosum and Chabertia ovina can also infect South American camelids [5, 7, 11, 25, 26, 35–39]. Depending on the worm burden, the nematode species involved and the age and constitution of the host animal, nematode infection can lead to different degrees of disease progression, from subclinical and mild disease with unspecific signs, like decreased appetite, emaciation and dull coat, to severe cases with diarrhoea, apathy, hypoalbuminemia and anaemia [6].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds

Kultscher

Hinney

Schmäschke³

et al. 2019

Parasites Vectors

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Background Endoparasites are considered a major health problem of South American camelids as shown in a recent survey among German and Austrian camelid owners. Although prophylactic and therapeutic measures such as application of anthelmintics are commonly used, treatment efficacy is usually not assessed. Owners have expressed significant concerns regarding the effect of antiparasitic therapy, so this study aimed to evaluate the outcome of anthelmintic treatment in German alpaca herds with different drugs. Results Overall, 617 samples from 538 clinically healthy alpacas > 1 year-old from 27 farms ( n = 11–157 animals/herd) were examined. The most common parasites detected by flotation were Eimeria spp. (75.1%) followed by strongylids (55.0%), Nematodirus spp. (19.3%), cestodes (3.1%) and Trichuris (2.7%). After initial coproscopical examination by flotation and strongylid egg quantification by the McMaster technique, positive animals excreting at least 150 eggs per gram of faeces were included in a faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) using fenbendazole ( n = 71 samples), moxidectin ( n = 71) or monepantel ( n = 66). Pre-treatment larval cultures ( n = 23 positive pooled farm samples) revealed Haemonchus (87% of the farms), Cooperia (43.5%), Trichostrongylus (21.7%), Ostertagia (13.0%), Nematodirus and Oesophagostomum (4.3% each). Fenbendazole treatment reduced egg excretion by 45%, moxidectin by 91% and monepantel by 96%. On the farm level, 13/18 farms that used fenbendazole, 6/6 farms that used moxidectin and 2/5 farms that used monepantel had individual FECR values < 90% (fenbendazole) or < 95% (moxidectin, monepantel). Haemonchus and Cooperia were overrepresented on the farms with reduced treatment efficacy. Conclusions Gastrointestinal strongylids are common in German alpacas and fenbendazole in particular was not sufficiently effective to reduce strongylid egg excretion. Although the FECRT could not unambiguously determine anthelmintic resistance in the present study, the finding that small ruminant strongylids, especially Haemonchus , are common in alpacas indicates that determination of effective anthelmintic doses, monitoring of efficacy and adapted (selective) treatment regimens must be implemented as part of sustainable deworming practices in this species in accordance with recommendations for ruminants.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds

Kultscher

Hinney

Schmäschke³

et al. 2019

Parasites Vectors

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“…Co-infections of Cryptosporidium and Giardia with other pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and other protists, such as Eimeria are common [4, 9, 11–15]; such co-infections are recognised to increase the severity and duration of diarrhoea [4, 11]. Young alpacas, or crias, are particularly susceptible to viral and microbial infections, with much infectious disease research being focussed on this age group [9–11, 13, 16, 17] and few studies involving older animals [17–19].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First cross-sectional, molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in Australia

et al. 2018

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BackgroundEukaryotic pathogens, including Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon, have been implicated in neonatal diarrhoea, leading to marked morbidity and mortality in the alpaca (Vicugna pacos) and llama (Lama glama) around the world. Australia has the largest population of alpacas outside of South America, but very little is known about these pathogens in alpaca populations in this country. Here, we undertook the first molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in V. pacos in Australia.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 81 herds, comprising alpacas of 6 weeks to 26 years of age, were sampled from the six Australian states (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia) across the four seasons. PCR-based sequencing was employed, utilising genetic markers in the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (SSU) and 60-kilodalton glycoprotein (gp60) genes for Cryptosporidium, triose-phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene for Giardia duodenalis and the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) for Enterocytozoon bieneusi.ResultsPCR-based analyses of 81 faecal DNA samples representing 1421 alpaca individuals detected Cryptosporidium, Giardia and/or Enterocytozoon on 15 farms in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, equating to 18.5% of all samples/herds tested. Cryptosporidium was detected on three (3.7%) farms, G. duodenalis on six (7.4%) and E. bieneusi on eight (9.9%) in two or all of these three states, but not in Queensland, Tasmania or Western Australia. Molecular analyses of selected faecal DNA samples from individual alpacas for Cryptosporidium, Giardia and/or Enterocytozoon consistently showed that alpacas of ≤ 6 months of age harboured these pathogens.ConclusionsThis first molecular investigation of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in alpaca subpopulations in Australia has identified species and genotypes that are of likely importance as primary pathogens of alpacas, particularly young crias, and some genotypes with zoonotic potential. Although the prevalence established here in the alpaca subpopulations studied is low, the present findings suggest that crias are likely reservoirs of infections to susceptible alpacas and/or humans. Future studies should focus on investigating pre-weaned and post-weaned crias, and on exploring transmission patterns to establish what role particular genotypes play in neonatal or perinatal diarrhoea in alpacas and in zoonotic diseases in different states of Australia.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-018-3055-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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“…These methods allow the detection of gastrointestinal nematodes and protozoa, and the estimation of parasite abundance within individual hosts as well as parasite prevalence [Krief et al, 2008;Kouassi et al, 2015;Lynsdale et al, 2015;Poirotte et al, 2016], albeit the adult worm burden is more difficult to assess due to many factors related to host immunity, health status, or parasite excretion rhythm, affecting the number of parasite eggs contained in host faecal material [Gillespie, 2006]. Two different techniques are commonly used for coproscopical analyses: sedimentation and flotation methods [Deluol, 1988;Kouassi et al, 2015;Peter et al, 2015;Becker et al, 2016;Chakraborty et al, 2016;Hyuga and Matsumoto, 2016]. Sedimentation techniques rely on the use of a low-density solution into which parasite forms fall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These methods are among the most frequently employed methods used in wildlife parasitology [Coles et al, 1992;Gillespie, 2006]. Different flotation media, from simple table salt and sugar [Hyuga and Matsumoto, 2016] to other chemicals, such as zinc sulphate [Becker et al, 2016], magnesium sulphate [Quinn et al, 1980;da Silva et al, 2009], sodium chloride and sodium nitrate [Mbaya and Udendeye, 2011;Crawley et al, 2016;Hu et al, 2016], or a combination of different solutions, such as salt-sugar solution [Gotfred-Rasmussen et al, 2016], have been examined for their potential usefulness in the flotation procedure. Mixed results have been found in the literature, and no consensus has been reached so far to determine the best way to detect gastrointestinal parasites in animals' faecal material, although the best method may vary across species and conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparative Study of Four Methods for the Detection of Nematode Eggs and Large Protozoan Cysts in Mandrill Faecal Material

Pouillevet¹,

Dibakou²,

Ngoubangoye³

et al. 2017

IJFP

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Coproscopical methods like sedimentation and flotation techniques are widely used in the field for studying simian gastrointestinal parasites. Four parasites of known zoonotic potential were studied in a free-ranging, non-provisioned population of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx): 2 nematodes (Necatoramericanus/Oesophagostomum sp. complex and Strongyloides sp.) and 2 protozoan species (Balantidium coli and Entamoeba coli). Different coproscopical techniques are available but they are rarely compared to evaluate their efficiency to retrieve parasites. In this study 4 different field-friendly methods were compared. A sedimentation method and 3 different McMaster methods (using sugar, salt, and zinc sulphate solutions) were performed on 47 faecal samples collected from different individuals of both sexes and all ages. First, we show that McMaster flotation methods are appropriate to detect and thus quantify large protozoan cysts. Second, zinc sulphate McMaster flotation allows the retrieval of a higher number of parasite taxa compared to the other 3 methods. This method further shows the highest probability to detect each of the studied parasite taxa. Altogether our results show that zinc sulphate McMaster flotation appears to be the best technique to use when studying nematodes and large protozoa.

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A survey of gastrointestinal parasites of alpacas (<i>Vicugna pacos</i>) raised in Japan

Cited by 19 publications

References 10 publications

Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds

Current anthelmintic treatment is not always effective at controlling strongylid infections in German alpaca herds

First cross-sectional, molecular epidemiological survey of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Enterocytozoon in alpaca (Vicugna pacos) in Australia

A Comparative Study of Four Methods for the Detection of Nematode Eggs and Large Protozoan Cysts in Mandrill Faecal Material

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