@conference {40784,
	title = {The effect of Fenbendazole on the immune system of lambs},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {56},
	year = {1996},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {80-83},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Measurement of lymphocyte blastogenesis and antibody production  were used to determine the effect of a benzimidazole anthelmintic on the  immune response. Both parasitized and parasite-naive (n=12) lambs, 6  months of age, were treated with fenbendazole (5mg/kgBW) and compared  with untreated control animals. All animals (n=24) were given bovine virus  diarrhoea (BVD) vaccine the day following anthelmintic treatment.  Heparinised blood samples were collected 0,3,7,14 and 21 days after the  anthelmintic treatments. The entire treatment regime was repeated at Day  28. No effects on immunity were apparent after the initial dosage with  fenbendazole. However, peripheral lymphocytes from lambs (parasitized  and parasite-naive) collected 14 days after the second administration of  fenbendazole treatment, had significantly lower stimulation indices  compared to control animals, when cultured in vitro with concanavalin A  (Con A) (P<0.01), phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), and lipopolysacchride  (LPS)(P<0.05). In addition, stimulation to Con A was depressed 7 days after  the second treatment. The primary and secondary humoral responses to  BVD vaccination, as measured by serum neutralisation titre, were similar  among groups. The repeated use of anthelmintics from the benzimidazole  group may interfere with immune responsiveness in young sheep. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Parish SJ and McFarlane RG and Familton AS and Abell TJ}
}
