Cited by 105Helminth infection and controlParasites and Host InteractionsNematode management and characterization studies

Isolation and characterization of a naturally occurring multidrug-resistant strain of the canine hookworm, Ancylostoma caninum

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Kitchen, Shannon, Ratnappan, Ramesh, Han, Suhao, Leasure, Caitlyn, Grill, Emilia, Iqbal, Zahra, Granger, Olivia, O'Halloran, Damien M. +1 more·2019·International Journal for Parasitology

Abstract

Soil-transmitted nematodes infect over a billion people and place several billion more at risk of infection. Hookworm disease is the most significant of these soil-transmitted nematodes, with over 500 million people infected. Hookworm infection can result in debilitating and sometimes fatal iron-deficiency anemia, which is particularly devastating in children and pregnant women. Currently, hookworms and other soil-transmitted nematodes are controlled by administration of a single dose of a benzimidazole to targeted populations in endemic areas. While effective, people are quickly re-infected, necessitating frequent treatment. Widespread exposure to anthelmintic drugs can place significant selective pressure on parasitic nematodes to generate resistance, which has severely compromised benzimidazole anthelmintics for control of livestock nematodes in many areas of the world. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first naturally occurring multidrug-resistant strain of the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum. We reveal that this isolate is resistant to fenbendazole at the clinical dosage of 50 mg/kg for 3 days. Our data shows that this strain harbors a fixed, single base pair mutation at amino acid 167 of the β-tubulin isotype 1 gene, and by using CRISPR/Cas9 we demonstrate that introduction of this mutation into the corresponding amino acid in the orthologous β-tubulin gene of Caenorhabditis elegans confers a similar level of resistance to thiabendazole. We also show that the isolate is resistant to the macrocyclic lactone anthelmintic ivermectin. Understanding the mechanism of anthelmintic resistance is important for rational design of control strategies to maintain the usefulness of current drugs, and to monitor the emergence of resistance. The isolate we describe represents the first multidrug-resistant strain of A. caninum reported, and our data reveal a resistance marker that can emerge naturally in response to heavy anthelminthic treatment.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.12.004

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  • Data shown in Kitchen et al. indicate that inhibition greater than 80% was not achieved and shapes of dose response curves were not sigmoidal.

    “In contrast, data shown in Kitchen et al. [34] indicate that inhibition greater than 80% was not achieved and shapes of dose response curves were not sigmoidal.”

    From Multiple drug resistance in the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum: an emerging threat? (2019) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Materials and methods section (Larval development assay; page unavailable) says the authors analyzed the curves with a sigmoidal dose-response function, contrary to the claim that they were not sigmoidal. The Results (Isolation and characterization of anthelmintic resistance in KGR strain; page unavailable) report IC95 values for the tested strains. Those calculated values do not establish that greater than 80% inhibition was observed at a tested concentration, but the copy does not substantiate the claimed 80% ceiling. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • The IC50 reported for Kitchen et al.'s resistant isolate was lower than what the present study measured in its susceptible isolate, and the IC50 reported for their susceptible isolate was at pM levels, almost 5000-fold lower than what the present study measured.

    “The IC50 reported for their resistant isolate was lower than what we measured in our susceptible isolate and the IC50 reported for their susceptible isolate was at pM levels, almost 5000-fold lower than what we measured.”

    From Multiple drug resistance in the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum: an emerging threat? (2019) · cites this paper as [34]

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  • Kitchen et al.'s data yielded a resistance ratio of greater than 1000, a level greater than what has been reported even in the most resistant Haemonchus isolates.

    “This yielded resistance ratio of greater than 1000; a level that is greater than what has been reported, even in the most resistant Haemonchus isolates.”

    From Multiple drug resistance in the canine hookworm Ancylostoma caninum: an emerging threat? (2019) · cites this paper as [34]

    The Results section reports ivermectin resistance ratios of 1467 and 1339 for KGR larvae versus wild-type WMD larvae, supporting the greater-than-1000 figure. The passages retrieved from the Discussion and References do not establish that this exceeds the ratios reported for the most resistant Haemonchus isolates; that comparison is unsupported by our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • A recent publication reported resistance to benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones in an isolate of A. caninum obtained from a greyhound dog.

    “a recent publication reported resistance to benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones in an isolate of A. caninum obtained from a greyhound dog [34].”
  • A separate recent study reported resistance to benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones in A. caninum recovered from a greyhound dog.

    “Coincident with our studies, a separate recent study reported resistance to benzimidazoles and macrocyclic lactones in A. caninum recovered from a greyhound dog [34].”

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Authors
Kitchen, S., Ratnappan, R., Han, S., Leasure, C., Grill, E., Iqbal, Z., Granger, O., O'Halloran, D. M., & Hawdon, J. M.
Affiliations
George Washington University (US)
Corresponding author
Hawdon, John M.
Venue
International Journal for Parasitology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2019-04
Volume
49
Issue
5
Pages
397-406
ISSN
0020-7519 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2911807104
Cited by
105
References
76
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 3
FWCI
16.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal for Parasitology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (1R21AI115012)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Helminth infection and control
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Parasitology › Parasites and Host Interactions
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Nematode management and characterization studies
Keywords
Ancylostoma caninum, multidrug resistance, anthelmintic resistance, thiabendazole resistance, ivermectin resistance, beta-tubulin mutations, soil-transmitted nematodes, benzimidazole, macrocyclic lactones, CRISPR/Cas9, Caenorhabditis elegans, resistance markers, iron deficiency anemia
MeSH terms
Ancylostoma, Animals, Anthelmintics, Base Sequence, Dog Diseases, Dogs, Drug Resistance, Female, Hookworm Infections, Ivermectin, Male, Phylogeny, Thiabendazole, Tubulin, Helminth Proteins

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