Anthelmintic efficacy of febantel against a monogenean parasite, Gyrodactylus kobayashii.

Monogenean parasites pose a significant challenge to aquaculture, leading to adverse effects on fish health and yields. Current anthelmintic treatments for monogeneans have demonstrated limited efficacy and are further complicated by potential issues, which emphasize the necessity for effective and safe therapeutic strategies to manage monogeneans in aquaculture. In this study, in vivo and in vitro anthelmintic activity of febantel against Gyrodactylus kobayashii on goldfish (Carassius auratus), as well as its toxicity to goldfish were evaluated. In vivo assays indicated that febantel exhibited potent anthelmintic activity against G. kobayashii with an EC 50 value of 0.03 mg/L and 100 % anthelmintic efficacy at 0.1 mg/L after 48 h of exposure. Moreover, in vivo trials also revealed a notable post-treatment effect of febantel, where infected goldfish transferred to drug-free water after short 6-h exposure could still result in full eradication of the worms, indicating febantel might induce persistent perturbations in parasite physiology. In vitro assays showed a negative correlation between febantel concentrations and the survival of G. kobayashii. However, increasing the febantel concentration to 2.0 mg/L did not result in the complete death of all worms. Oral administration of febantel demonstrated limited anthelmintic activity, with only 49 % efficacy at a dosage of 200 mg/kg body weight daily over five days. Acute toxicity assays revealed the 48-h LC 50 value of febantel was 5.47 mg/L, which was 182.23 times higher than the 48-h EC 50 value, indicating that febantel has a favorable safety profile. However, febantel exposure potentially interfered with hepatic metabolism and oxidative status, as indicated by variations in SOD, GST, and P450 gene expression. In conclusion, treatment with 0.1 mg/L febantel for 24 h completely eradicated G. kobayashii infection on goldfish, demonstrating febantel's potent anthelmintic activity. Coupled with its safety profile and extended post-treatment effectiveness, febantel is a promising candidate for controlling Gyrodactylus infections in aquaculture. • Febantel showed potent anthelmintic efficacy against Gyrodactylus kobayashii with an EC 50 value of 0.03 mg/L. • A notable post-treatment effect of febantel against G. kobayashii was observed. • Febantel has a favorable safety profile. • Febantel is a promising candidate for controlling Gyrodactylus infections in aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]