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Foreword: Towards markers for anthelmintic resistance in helminths of importance in animal and human health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 July 2007

R. K. PRICHARD ,
G. von SAMSON-HIMMELSTJERNA ,
W. J. BLACKHALL  and
T. G. GEARY
R. K. PRICHARD*
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
G. von SAMSON-HIMMELSTJERNA
Affiliation:
Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, Bünteweg 17, Hannover30559, Germany
W. J. BLACKHALL
Affiliation:
Institute for Parasitology, University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation, Bünteweg 17, Hannover30559, Germany
T. G. GEARY
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9
*
*Corresponding author: Institute of Parasitology, McGill University, 21111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada, H9X 3V9. Tel: +1-514-398-7729. Fax: +1-514-398-7857. E-mail: roger.prichard@mcgill.ca
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Summary

Anthelmintic resistance is a serious problem in veterinary medicine and appears to be developing in some helminths of importance to human health. Anthelmintic drugs remain the principal means of control of helminth infections in animals and humans and the continued dependence on these pharmaceuticals will continue to impose selection pressure for resistance development. Our ability to detect anthelmintic resistance before control breaks down and to monitor the spread of anthelmintic resistance is quite limited. We are currently dependent on biological methods which are not sufficiently sensitive to detect low levels of drug resistance and are particularly difficult to perform on helminth parasites of humans. There is a serious need for new molecular markers for detecting and monitoring for anthelmintic resistance. The problem of anthelmintic resistance is already very serious in nematode parasites of livestock. In addition, there should be great concern about possible anthelmintic resistance development and the lack of tools and efforts for monitoring it as part of the major worldwide programmes to control helminth parasites in people. An international Consortium has been formed to develop Anthelmintic Resistance Single nucleotide polymorphism markers (CARS). Discussions within the Consortium have addressed the need for such markers, the current state of knowledge about them, possible mechanisms of anthelmintic resistance and approaches and constraints to the development of markers. Summaries of the state of the art in these areas are presented in a series of papers in this Special Issue of Parasitology.

Keywords

Anthelmintic resistanceSNP markersbenzimidazoleslevamisolemacrocyclic lactonesnematodes
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 134 , Special Issue 8: MARKERS FOR ANTHELMINTIC RESISTANCE , August 2007 , pp. 1073 - 1076
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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