Australia-World First in treatment of liver fluke.

AUSTRALIA-REVOLUTIONARY LIVER FLUKE TREATMENT.

Australian beef producers will be the first to benefit from the world’s first triple combination cattle parasiticide injection, targeting all stages of liver fluke plus roundworms and external parasites.

Nitromec Injection, which has been developed by Virbac Animal Health, is also the first flukicide proven to provide three-stage liver fluke control without the use of triclabendazole, which was considered the best active ingredient for treating the parasite since 1980..

And Virbac claims the powerful one-shot treatment is 10 times more effective than pour-on flukicides in treating two-week-old early immature liver flukes.

Targeting early immature fluke prevents the parasite from causing massive damage as it burrows through the liver.


Without treatment fluke ends up in the animal’s bile duct where within 12 weeks of infection it lays eggs that pass from cattle to contaminate pastures.

Stock suffering from liver fluke have reduced weight gains, impaired growth and in severe cases it can cause death.

Nitromec Injection uses two fluke control actives, nitroxynil plus clorsulon, to provide greater than 99pc efficacy against flukes from as young as two weeks old, according to Dr Glenn Anderson, Virbac technical services manager.

"Nitromec is delivered as an injection, so unlike pour-ons, it’s absorption is not affected if the animals’ coats are thick or dirty," Dr Anderson said.

An equally effective alternative to triclabendazole based drenches, Nitromec Injection can potentially delay fluke resistance to the popular active.

The injection was specifically formulated by Virbac’s Sydney-based research team, which recognised triclabendazole resistant liver fluke as a likely threat to the beef industry.

"Triclabendazole resistant fluke may become a widespread problem for cattle producers in Australia, as has been the case for producers throughout Europe and the United Kingdom," Dr Anderson said.

"There are reports of resistance in Australia, and although studies are yet to determine its prevalence, we saw the importance of developing a non-triclabendazole treatment that gives year-round protection over the long-term."

Nitromec Injection is only the second flukicide to have an APVMA approved label claim specifically for two-week-old fluke control; the other being Virbac’s Flukazole C plus Selenium oral drench for sheep and cattle.

It also contains ivermectin, a highly effective agent against gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworm and external parasites, including sucking lice and cattle ticks.

Dr Anderson said that Virbac was releasing Nitromec Injection ahead of autumn when immature fluke levels are traditionally at their highest following pick-up from infested pastures during late summer.