Livestock rearing is one of the viable income generating business of rural people.
They are getting income by way of milk, meat, wool, leather, manure etc. However,
the productivity of livestock is affected by various diseases caused by bacteria,
viruses, parasites etc. The parasitic diseases which occur in clinical or sub-clinical
form inflict losses through mortality, morbidity, inefficiency of production and by way
of costs incurred on treatment and control. Despite the availability of a number of
powerful and effective drugs for treating important parasitic diseases of livestock,
there is pressing need for adaptation of alternative control measures including the
development of successful antiparasitic vaccines. The most important reasons for
this are development of resistance by parasites against many of the previously as
well as newly developed drugs; associated problem of drug residues in milk, meat
and increased concern for environmental pollution especially that caused by use of
ectoparasiticides. Despite these associated problems, chemotherapy and
chemoprophylaxis are still the most effective weapon for fighting the menace of
parasites and the situation will remain similar in the near future.
In this book which has been written in a very simple language an attempt has
been made to present a review of various immune mechanisms in parasitic
infections/ infestations, some methods of isolating and purifying parasitic antigens
for use in vaccination trials and immunodiagnostic tests, besides the information on
availability of successful antiparasitic vaccines in various parts of the globe. In
addition to this a comprehensive review of various antiparasitic drugs which are
used for treatment and control of parasitic diseases of livestock is also presented
along with topics on anthelmintic resistance and general methods of control of ecto
and endoparasites.
I am sure that this book will serve as important source of information for field
veterinarians as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students of veterinary
colleges.