Effectiveness of an antihelminthic treatment in improving the body condition and survival of Hawaiian monk seals
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Published source details
Gobush K.S., Baker J.D. & Gulland F.M.D. (2011) Effectiveness of an antihelminthic treatment in improving the body condition and survival of Hawaiian monk seals. Endangered Species Research, 15, 29-37.
Published source details Gobush K.S., Baker J.D. & Gulland F.M.D. (2011) Effectiveness of an antihelminthic treatment in improving the body condition and survival of Hawaiian monk seals. Endangered Species Research, 15, 29-37.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use drugs to treat parasites Action Link |
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Use drugs to treat parasites
A controlled study in 2009–2010 on an island in the North Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA (Gobush et al. 2011) found that Hawaiian monk seal Monachus schauinslandi pups treated with an anti-parasitic drug (praziquantel) had similar parasite loads and survival rates to untreated pups. The number of faecal samples containing parasitic worms (cestodes Diphyllobothrium spp.) did not differ significantly between treated pups (44 of 46 samples, 96%) and untreated pups (43 of 44 samples, 98%). Survival rates also did not differ significantly between treated pups (20 of 23 pups survived, 87%) and untreated pups (19 of 20 pups survived, 95%). Forty-three tagged seal pups (<2 years old) were randomly assigned to a treatment group (injected with praziquantel; 23 pups) or an untreated control group (20 pups). Each of 43 pups was captured, weighed, measured, injected (treatment group only) and had faeces sampled up to four times, 8–16 weeks apart, between December 2009 and May 2010.
(Summarised by: Anna Berthinussen)
