Treatment of experimental Toxocara cati infection in mice with ivermectin and moxidectin

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of two efficient macrocyclic lactone drugs, ivermectin, and moxidectin, on the numbers and distribution of Toxocara cati larvae in experimentally infected mice. Different post-infection periods (48 h and 7 d) and different administration methods (oral and subcutaneous) were compared. lvermectin and moxidectin were tested (0.2 mg/kg with a single dose) for their larvicidal effects. Each mouse was infected with 1 000-embryonated eggs of T cati. On the 10 d of the infection, the mice in each treatment group and the control group were sacrificed and the presence of T cati larvae in various organs were determined and compared between groups. Statistically, the treatment regimens in all treatment groups were successful as compared with the controls. The worst results were achieved in the group in which ivermectin was given orally 7 d following egg inoculation. According to the decrease in total larvae recovery, oral administration of moxidectin 48 h following egg inoculation displayed the highest efficacy. The effect of ivermectin administered subcutaneously 7 d following infection was more effective than subcutaneous application of moxidectin after both 48 h and 7 d.