Help us to monitor anthelmintic resistance and the effectiveness of treatments

Reporting when you think a product hasn’t worked, known as Suspected Lack of Expected Efficacy (SLEE), is critical to ongoing monitoring activities for veterinary medicines.

Real-time reports from farmers and prescribers support research efforts by identifying potential problems early.

We encourage reporting of all cases, including those which may already be documented. The more information we have the more we can do at individual, local and country level, and the greater our ability to monitor anthelmintic resistance across regions.

How to identify whether an anthelmintic treatment may or may not have worked

There are many reasons why you might suspect an anthelmintic product has not been effective.

You may observe: 

• Clinical disease or death due to a suspected or proven parasitic burden, despite appropriate anthelmintic treatment
• Insufficient faecal egg count reduction post-treatment
• Shortened egg reappearance period post-treatment
• Poor clinical response to treatment
• Ongoing ill-thrift or poor growth rates

The reasons why a treatment may not have work can be varied. It could be that there was something wrong with the product itself or it could be non-product related reasons.

You do not need to know why – tell us anyway.

How to report your experience

Anyone can report a SLEE case. You can report to the Marketing Authorisation (MA) Holder or directly to us. Case details (not your personal information) are shared between us and the MA Holder so there is no need to report to both.

Our online Adverse Reaction Reporting service asks for:

• Prescriber or user details
• Patient information (species, weight, sex, age)
• Product details
• Case details (relevant dates, dose and regimen)

It is important to include as much detail as possible in the report for a full evaluation. You do not need to determine if there is a problem with the product before submitting a report.

Evaluating reports and taking action if needed

Whether submitted to the MA Holder or to us directly, we monitor every case and carry out statistical analysis on the data. A significant number of reports with the same or similar product could indicate a product or batch problem.

We do not give feedback on individual cases or give clinical advice. However, you can contact the MA Holder who may provide further assistance and advice, and in some cases practical adjustments which may help.

When appropriate, we may look to add additional warnings on the product’s packaging, change the way a product is used or inform prescribers of the concerns. 

Over 100 delegates joined our expert panel to explore how the research findings from our VMD-funded projects have improved our understanding of the extent and spread of antiparasitic resistance in the UK and helped to develop diagnostic tools for the detection of resistance.

The presentations showcased how the outputs of VMD-funded research have informed and validated best practice guidance for parasite control in livestock and contributed to wider initiatives, for example the work of SCOPS, the development of the Wormer Treatment Check (Defra Pathway) and the RDPE ‘For Flock’s Sake’ Project.

Roundworms and resistance; what roles do animal movement and wildlife play in their dissemination?

Dr Dave Bartley, Moredun Research Institute

This presentation covered the role of wildlife and livestock movements in the dissemination of roundworms and anthelmintic resistance between UK farms and illustrate the need to employ robust biosecurity measures in the livestock sector. It also covered how molecular tools were refined and used to explore the magnitude, species profile and prevalence of genetic markers for benzimidazole resistance within roundworm populations transported between farms.

Simplified methods and approaches to monitor and manage anthelmintic efficacy on sheep farms 

Professor Eric Morgan, Queen’s University Belfast 

This presentation highlighted how VMD-funded research has helped to improve the abilities of farmers and their advisors to cheaply and accurately monitor the effectiveness of anthelmintic treatments against nematodes and to detect and react to the presence of anthelmintic resistance. It covered how faecal egg count reduction results varied geographically and seasonally and how methods have been refined to improve accuracy and offer specific ways forward after treatment failure. 

The impact of VMD funded anthelmintic resistance projects at farm level

Lesley Stubbings, Independent Sheep Consultant 

This presentation summarised how VMD-funded research has been translated to inform and validate practical guidelines and improve the knowledge and tools available to vets and advisers. For example the outputs from VMD-funded research contributed to the work of SCOPS and the development of guidance for the Worming Treatment Check (Defra Pathway). The VMD-funded research projects also provided signposting as to the future needs in terms of speciation and the management of resistance to multiple anthelmintic groups on farms.

Cattle lungworm; are we seeing changing epidemiology and/or a reduction in treatment efficacy?

Dr Dave Bartley, Moredun Research Institute

This presentation highlighted the findings from a stakeholder workshop around the current perceptions around bovine lungworm and anthelmintic efficacy/resistance in UK cattle. The workshop investigated a number of areas namely; what does lungworm epidemiology looks like now in the UK, how do we assess anthelmintic inefficacy in the field and what practical steps should stakeholders take if anthelmintic inefficacy is suspected on farm?

What mite work for ewe?

Debbie Collins, Fera Science

This presentation covered the achievements following a three year research project investigating the in vitro rearing of scab mites, development of a pesticide resistance detection test and the identification of alternative control measures.

Sustainable control of sheep scab in the face of developing resistance to the macrocyclic lactone injectables 

Dr Stewart Burgess, Moredun Research Institute 

This presentation covered the emergence and distribution of macrocyclic lactone resistance in P. ovis mites and how this knowledge is changing the way in which we control sheep scab. It also covered the outcomes of the modelling studies performed by the University of Bristol, the recent developments in the sheep scab ELISA and how best to interpret the outputs from the test at the flock-level.

Coordinated control of sheep scab across the four nations of the UK – VMD-funded research into action 

Dr Stewart Burgess, Moredun Research Institute

This presentation covered how the outputs from the VMD-funded research project were developed and applied in the design and implementation of coordinated control programmes across the UK, including schemes in England (RDPE-funded), Scotland (Lewis & Harris – funded by Scottish Government), Northern Ireland (BBSRC-funded) & Wales. Ultimately, it sets out a new vision for the sustainable control of sheep scab in the future.