Moxidektin és doxiciklin kombinációs terápia hatékonysága Dirofilaria immitis ellen Magyarországon kezelt kutyák esetében

Abstract

ÖSSZEFOGLALÁS Jelen tanulmányban a szerzők a doxiciklin és moxidektin kombinációs terápia hatékonyságát vizsgálták magyarországi kutyák szívférgességének (Dirofilaria immitis) kezelésére. A terápiás protokoll során az állatok az első 30 napban doxiciklintartalmú tablettát kaptak szájon át, emellett havonta, legfeljebb 2 éven keresztül, moxidektintartalmú rácsepegtető oldatos kezelésben is részesültek. A kezelés sikerességének ellenőrzésére 3 havonta módosított Knott-tesztet, valamint két különböző gyártótól származó antigéngyorstesztet végeztek el vérmintákból. Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy a 12. hónapra a vizsgálatba bevont, minden fertőzött állatból származó minta vizsgálati eredményei negatívnak bizonyultak D. immitis okozta fertőzöttségre nézve. SUMMARY Background: The spread of Dirofilaria immitis is a global issue nowadays. Recommended treatment of heartworm infestation is difficult, complex and expensive, and can even have severe adverse effects. For those cases when using melarsomine dihydrochloride is contraindicated because of the animals’ condition, or when the owner rejects the recommended treatment protocol, other effective and safe treatment alternatives should be advised, like doxycycline and moxidectin combination treatment. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a doxycycline and moxidectin combination treatment protocol in confirmed D. immitis infested dogs in Hungary. Materials and Methods: During the two years study period 86 naturally infected dogs were involved in the study that met the eligibility criteria ((i) confirmed infestation with D. immitis, (ii) having mild or moderate clinical signs, and (iii) therapy with melarsomine was rejected by owner). In the first 30 days doxycycline tablet was given orally to the animals (6-10 mg/kg twice daily (BID)). Beside doxycycline, moxidectin spot on (2.5 mg/ kg) was administered externally every month for two years. To assess the efficacy of the treatment protocol, blood samples were taken (in EDTA tubes) from the dogs every third month. Modified Knott test, and two antigen tests (Witness Dirofilaria test, Zoetis; Bionote Canine Heartworm test, Bionote) were performed from the samples. Dogs were considered cured if all tests were negative in two consecutive time points. Results and Discussion: From the study population, as a result of the treatment 9 dogs were considered cured by the sixth month, further 50 were cured by the ninth month, further 21 were cured by the twelfth month and the last animal was cured by the fifteenth month. Four animals had to be excluded from the study because of not showing up on the appointment, and one dog died because of reasons not related to heartworm disease. There was no animal with persistent D. immitis infestation, therefore the doxycycline and moxidectin treatment protocol was considered to be an effective alternative option for certain heartworm cases.