Comparative efficacy of certain drugs against stephanofilarial dermatitis in cattle

A total of forty six cattle showing active lesions of humpsore were treated with different drugs to study their comparative efficacy. Animals treated with 33 μg/kg body weight (1ml/animal) of ivermectin subcutaneously at the site of lesion and with 4 ml/animal levamisole subcutaneously at the site of lesion resulted in complete cure of all the lesions on 8^th day post treatment. No microfilaria and adult parasite was observed in skin scrapings on 3^rd day post treatment. Animals treated with ivermectin @ 6ml/animal (200 μg/kg body weight) subcutaneously and with levamisole @ 6ml/animal subcutaneously other than at site of lesion got cured on 19^th day post treatment. In the animals treated with topical application of Mastilep ointment twice daily for 3 days, the lesions got completely cured on 5^th day but parasite persisted upto 19^th day post treatment. Combination of ivermectin @ 66 μg/kg body weight (2ml/animal), subcutaneously at the site of lesion with Dermocept ointment applied twice daily for 3 days could heal the lesion on 8^th day post treatment. Animal treated with combination of levamisole @ 3ml/animal, subcutaneously at the site of lesion and Dermocept ointment applied twice daily for 3 days could heal the lesion on 11^th day and microfilaria disappeared on 3^rd day post treatment. Single injection of either ivermectin or levamisole at the site of lesion with or without antibacterial ointment gave better results than administered other than their administration at sites other than the site of the lesion.