Recent large-scale philophthalmosis outbreak in Portugal: inefficacy of common antihelminthic agents

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11120%2F22%3A43923566" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11120/22:43923566 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05265-z" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05265-z</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13071-022-05265-z" target="_blank" >10.1186/s13071-022-05265-z</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Recent large-scale philophthalmosis outbreak in Portugal: inefficacy of common antihelminthic agents

Original language description

BACKGROUND: Parasitic conjunctivitis caused by Philophthalmus spp. is a common ophthalmic disease in birds, with localized outbreaks occurring worldwide. There is no consensus on treating this disease; mechanical removal is considered a standard recommendation, but is associated with disease relapses within days or weeks. METHODS: From 2015 to 2020, we examined 4295 Larus michahellis and Larus fuscus gulls in southern Portugal for the presence of Philophthalmus spp. Due to the need to treat dozens of infected gulls in the rescue station, we tested three treatment regimens aimed at targeting Philophthalmus lucipetus in the infected gulls: (I) the ophthalmic application of levamisole; (II) the oral application of milbemycin in combination with praziquantel; and (III) the subcutaneous application of ivermectin. RESULTS: The outbreak of philophthalmosis in gulls in southern Portugal has been ongoing since the first cases were reported in 2015-2016. The prevalence of philophthalmosis has fluctuated annually, peaking a maximum of 10.3% in L. fuscus in 2017 and at 2.1% in L. michahellis in 2016. The infection intensity peaked at a median of 11.5 eye-flukes per host bird in L. fuscus in 2016 and a median of six eye-flukes per host bird in L. michahellis in 2017. Nine gulls were infected with &gt;50 eye-flukes. None of the treatment options were effective at treating P. lucipetus infections: the numbers of eye-flukes in the infected birds did not decrease, and the clinical signs of the disease did not change. CONCLUSIONS: An outbreak of philophthalmosis in southern Portugal has massively affected two species of gulls in the region. Two previously suggested philophthalmosis treatments (ocular levamisole and praziquantel given orally), as well as a third mode of treatment with a previously failed compound (ivermectin administered subcutaneously) were used. However, the treatments did not affect the numbers of P. lucipetus in the eyes of the treated gulls. Further research should address ophthalmic gel formulations or sub-conjunctival delivery mode for antihelminthic drugs that are effective against Philophthalmus spp. in vitro.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

30310 - Parasitology

Project

—

Continuities

V - Vyzkumna aktivita podporovana z jinych verejnych zdroju

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Parasites &amp; Vectors

ISSN

1756-3305

e-ISSN

1756-3305

Volume of the periodical

15

Issue of the periodical within the volume

1

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

7

Pages from-to

167

UT code for WoS article

000794972400002

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85130026337