Project: Coping with anthelmintic resistance in ruminants
Infections with gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) are a major threat to ruminant health, welfare and production and thus to the viability of the ruminant livestock industries in the EU and worldwide. Anthelmintic resistance (AR) is the single-most important problem facing EU ruminant farmers today in relation to sustainable GIN control. AR is a constantly expanding process, from small ruminants to cattle; from the first commercialised anthelmintics (AH) to the modern ones and from single drug AR to multiresistant cases. Therefore, Coping with Anthelmintic RESistance (CARES) is pivotal to all existing and up-coming means of control. CARES believes that within a foreseeable future the most sustainable strategy is a combination of approaches, namely i) early detection of AR, ii) use of bioactive crops with documented AH properties, iii) improved farm management, feeding and selective use of AH drugs. This applied approach needs support by basic research and better understanding of mechanisms of development and reversion of AR. The project CARES will address these key issues through 3 complementary aims: - Improving the detection of AR in GINs (WP1) The aims are to improve the usability and reliability of current phenotypic tools but also to develop and validate molecular markers for the early detection of AR development and spread, particularly against macrocyclic lactones (ML) - Assessing the role of plant resources to replace (WP2) or improve (WP3) the activity of synthetic AHs against AR GINs The aims are to test the hypothesis of either direct AH effects of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) against resistant (and susceptible) GINs (WP2); or indirect effects because some PSMs can potentially act as reversing agent for AR against ML (WP3). In vitro studies will provide basic data on the efficacy of active plants against AR GINs, either directly or in combination with AH drugs. In vivo studies will provide results for future exploitation of bioactive plants on-farm. - Exploring options for on-farm intervention (WP4) Integration is a key word for the sustainable control of GINs. The aims are to explore how combinations of solutions, adapting herd management systems, the use of natural AH or a selective use of AH can contribute to effective GIN control and slow down the spread of AR. The consortium is built on cross-linking criteria to address the objectives. Indeed, CARES brings together 8 partners from 5 EU countries plus a world leading research partner from Canada. These partners: - belong to major national institutions - are internationally recognised within the fields addressed, e.g. mechanisms of AR, alternative medication by AH plants, herd management - have expertise to address basic and applied research questions coping with AR -have had long-term collaboration, e.g. other EU-projects - cover a wide range of ecological conditions from the arctic to tropics
| Acronym | CARES |
| Duration | 31/03/2015 |
| Website | visit project website |
| Network | EMIDA |
| Call | 2nd EMIDA Joint Call on Emerging and Major Infectious Diseases of Livestock |