Comparison of an injectable toltrazuril-gleptoferron (Forceris®) and an oral toltrazuril (Baycox®) + injectable iron dextran for the control of experimentally induced piglet cystoisosporosis

Abstract

BackgroundCystoisospora suis causes diarrhoeal disease and reduced weight gain in suckling piglets, and a toltrazuril-based oral suspension is available for treatment. Recently a combinatorial product with toltrazuril plus iron has been developed for parenteral application. In this study we compared the efficacy of the injectable product with the oral suspension against experimentally induced piglet cystoisosporosis.MethodsIn a randomised controlled study, three groups of piglets (n = 10–13) were treated either with a fixed dose of 45 mg toltrazuril + 200 mg gleptoferron i.m. per piglet (Forceris®) on the second day of life (study day 2; SD 2) or with 20 mg toltrazuril/kg body weight as an oral suspension (Baycox® 5%) on SD 4 or left untreated (Control group). The Baycox® and the Control group received 200 mg of iron dextran/piglet on SD 2. All piglets were infected with 1000 sporulated C. suis oocysts on SD 3. Faecal samples were taken daily from SD 7 to SD 20 to determine faecal consistency, oocyst shedding and other diarrhoeal pathogens. Body weight was recorded on SD 1 and then weekly until SD 29. Animals were observed daily for general health and after treatment for possible adverse events.ResultsIn the Control group all animals shed oocysts for 3.1 days on average and all animals showed diarrhoea for an average of five days. Excretion peaked on SD 9 (max. 48,618 oocysts per gram of faeces). Treatment with Forceris® completely suppressed oocyst excretion. In the Baycox® group, low levels of excretion could be detected. Diarrhoea was reduced to single piglets in the treated groups. Body weight development was reduced in the Control group compared to the treated groups. Enteropathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens) could be detected. All parameters related to oocyst excretion, faecal consistency and weight gain were significantly improved in the treated groups compared to the Control group without significant differences between the treated groups. Both products were safe to use.ConclusionsTreatment with both the injectable (Forceris®) and the oral (Baycox®) formulation of toltrazuril in the prepatent period were safe and highly effective against experimental infection with C. suis in newborn piglets.

Efficacy of an injectable toltrazuril – gleptoferron (Forceris®) to control coccidiosis (Cystoisospora suis) in comparison with iron supplemented piglets without anticoccidial treatment

“… Rypula et al (2012) and Mundt et al (2003b) demonstrated the positive effect of toltrazuril treatment on body weight gains in infected piglets. In agreement with a previous report on Forceris® treatment of experimentally infected piglets ( Joachim et al, 2018b ), we confirmed significantly improved body weight gains in naturally coccidiosis exposed piglets.…”

“…The efficacy of Forceris ® was confirmed in comparison with an established reference product (oral toltrazuril suspension; Baycox ® 5% - Bayer Animal Health) by Joachim et al (2018b) . Results were obtained in an experimental infection model only, described by Mundt et al (2006) , but field data needed to be generated.…”

Detection of Cystoisospora suis in faeces of suckling piglets – when and how? A comparison of methods

“…Oocyst detection can be accomplished by detection in faecal smears with autofluorescence or, with relatively lower sensitivity, after carbol-fuchsin staining, and can be judged semi-quantitatively. Determination of OpGs by adapted McMaster counting is usually applied under experimental conditions and for specific applications, such as an in vivo faecal oocyst reduction test to evaluate treatment efficacy [ 49 ]; however, this requires precise knowledge about the extent and intensity of infection and the course of infection on the farm in question.…”

Shifts in the Fecal Microbial Community of Cystoisospora suis Infected Piglets in Response to Toltrazuril

“…Impaired intestinal homeostasis and slow regeneration of the intestinal epithelium in infected piglets lead to significant reductions in body weight gain, most likely due to reduced nutrient absorption (Mundt et al, 2003(Mundt et al, , 2006Joachim and Mundt, 2011). The disease is effectively controlled by oral or parenteral administration of a single dose of the triazinone toltrazuril during the developmental phase of C. suis in the host (Mundt et al, 2006;Joachim et al, 2018cJoachim et al, , 2019. The exact mode of action of toltrazuril is not known but it has been suggested that toltrazuril interferes with nuclear division and mitochondrial activity in coccidian parasites (Harder and Haberkorn, 1989).…”