Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29976240›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2018

Controlled efficacy trial confirming toltrazuril resistance in a field isolate of ovine Eimeria spp.

Ane Odden, Heidi L Enemark, Antonio Ruiz, Lucy J Robertson, Cecilie Ersdal, Silje K Nes, Vibeke Tømmerberg, Snorre Stuen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Parasites & vectors, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 31 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2026
    Article
  2. Exploring the interplay betweenThe veterinary quarterly · 2025
    Review
  3. IntracellularFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Veterinary sciences · 2022
    Article
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Anticoccidial effects ofJournal of advanced veterinary and animal research · 2022
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Ane OddenFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325, Sandnes, Norway. ane.odden@nmbu.no.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1737-1700
Heidi L EnemarkDepartment of Animal Health and Food Safety, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750 Sentrum, 0106, Oslo, Norway.
Antonio RuizParasitology Unit, Department of Animal Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain.
Lucy J RobertsonFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 369 Sentrum, 0102, Oslo, Norway.
Cecilie ErsdalFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325, Sandnes, Norway.
Silje K NesFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325, Sandnes, Norway.
Vibeke TømmerbergAnimalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, P.O. Box 396, Økern, 0513, Oslo, Norway.
Snorre StuenFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Kyrkjevegen 332/334, 4325, Sandnes, Norway.
Norwegian University of Life Sciences · NOAnimalia (Norway) · NONorwegian Veterinary Institute · NOUniversidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · ES

Funding

The Foundation for Research Levy on Agricultural Products/Agricultural Agreement Research Fund 244162
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCoccidiosis due to Eimeria spp. infections in lambs causes increased mortality and substantial production losses, and anticoccidials are important for control of the infection. Anticoccidial resistance has been reported in poultry and swine, and we recently described reduced toltrazuril efficacy in ovine Eimeria spp. in some Norwegian sheep farms using a newly developed faecal oocyst count reduction test (FOCRT). The aim of the present study was to use a controlled efficacy trial to assess the efficacy of toltrazuril against a field isolate suspected of being resistant.

methodsTwenty lambs, 17-22 days old and raised protected against exposure to coccidia, were infected with a field isolate of 100,000 Eimeria spp. oocysts. This isolate was obtained from a farm with a previously calculated drug efficacy of 56% (95% confidence interval: -433.9 to 96.6%). At day 7 post-infection, 10 of the lambs were orally treated with 20 mg/kg toltrazuril (Baycox Sheep vet., Bayer Animal Health), while the other 10 lambs (controls) were given physiological saline. Clinical examinations were conducted, and weight gains recorded. Daily faecal samples were scored for diarrhoea on a scale from 1 to 5, and oocyst excretion was determined using a modified McMaster technique. Oocysts were morphologically identified to species level. At 17-24 days post-infection, the lambs were euthanized and necropsied.

resultsThe tested Eimeria isolate was resistant against toltrazuril, and resistance was seen in both pathogenic and non-pathogenic species. In addition, no significant differences in faecal score, growth, gross pathology or histological changes were identified between the two groups. The pathogenic E. ovinoidalis was the dominant species, and no significant difference in the individual prevalence of E. ovinoidalis post-treatment was found between treated (66.9%) and control lambs (61.9%). Other species identified included E. crandallis/weybridgensis, E. parva, E. marsica, E. faurei, E. pallida, E. ahsata and E. bakuensis.

conclusionsThis study confirms toltrazuril resistance in ovine Eimeria spp.; in addition, the data support the use of FOCRT as an appropriate tool for field evaluation of anticoccidial efficacy. Due to limited anticoccidial treatment alternatives, these findings may have important implications for the sheep industry, particularly in northern Europe.

Indexed as

Administration, OralAnimalsCoccidiosisDiarrheaEimeriaEuropeFecesNorwayOocystsParasite Egg CountSheepSheep DiseasesTriazinesWeight GaintoltrazurilTriazinesAnticoccidial resistanceControlled efficacy testEimeria ovinoidalisEimeria spp.SheepToltrazuril

Identifiers

PMID29976240
PMCPMC6034276
OpenAlexW2831818902

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.