Development of a penside diagnostic test for Fasciola hepatica
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Liverpool
Department Name: Infection Biology
Abstract
Fasciola hepatica, the common liver fluke, is a leading cause of mortality, morbidity and production losses in sheep and cattle in many of the major livestock rearing areas of the world. In highly endemic regions of the UK, because of the lack of cost effective diagnostic tests, groups of animals are blanket treated, which puts selection pressure on parasite populations to develop resistance. Resistance to drugs effective against liver fluke is becoming widespread. With funding from BBSRC, in partnership with all five UK meat and milk levy boards, we developed a preliminary prototype pen-side diagnostic test for F. hepatica, based on lateral flow technology. The aim of this project is to produce a validated pen-side lateral flow test for liver fluke, which works with a drop of blood collected from the ear of a cow or a sheep that farmers can use themselves, and that is ready to be taken up by a company for commercial development and production.
Publications
Charlier J
(2022)
Disease control tools to secure animal and public health in a densely populated world.
in The Lancet. Planetary health
Charlier J
(2023)
To treat or not to treat: diagnostic thresholds in subclinical helminth infections of cattle.
in Trends in parasitology
Coyne LA
(2020)
Providing information about triclabendazole resistance status influences farmers to change liver fluke control practices.
in The Veterinary record
Walsh T
(2021)
Differences in the antibody response to adult Fasciola hepatica excretory/secretory products in experimentally and naturally infected cattle and sheep
in Veterinary Parasitology
Williams D
(2020)
Update on liver fluke in sheep
in In Practice
| Description | We have developed and validated a prototype lateral flow test that can be used on farms to diagnose liver fluke infection in sheep and cattle. Farmer feedback suggested that there is significant interest in the adoption of the technology. Discussions with a veterinary pharmaceutical company are underway to commercialise the test. |
| Exploitation Route | The LFT will have a significant impact on our ability to diagnose and treat sheep and cattle for liver fluke infection. This will target treatment specifically at infected animals and aid selection of the most appropriate product to use. This will have a significant economic benefit for farmers and processors and improve animal health and welfare. Reduced use of anthelmintic medicines will positively impact on development of resistance and environmental consequences of AH use. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | Findings from this project has led to a collaboration with a veterinary pharmaceutical industry to take the test through to commercial manufacture, with proposed launch of the commercial test in summer 2024. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Application of a lateral flow diagnostic test for Fasciola hepatica that can be used on-farm in sheep and cattle |
| Amount | £33,438 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 91110114 |
| Organisation | Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2021 |
| End | 02/2022 |
| Description | Delivery of rapid diagnostic tests for sustainable control of parasitic diseases in sheep and cattle |
| Amount | £487,331 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/X017419/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2023 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | Collaboration with Mologic |
| Organisation | Mologic |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | collaboration over development of lateral flow test for diagnosing fluke infection in sheep and cattle |
| Collaborator Contribution | Mologic brought their expertise in lateral flow technology |
| Impact | BBSRC pathfinder follow on fund application and award |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | The Farmer Network |
| Organisation | Farmer Network Cumbria |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Working with TFN to validate our lateral flow diagnostic test for liver fluke in sheep and cattle |
| Collaborator Contribution | partnering with us to gather, collect blood and faecal samples from sheep and cattle. These samples then tested using the prototype lateral flow test and compared to standard laboratory tests. |
| Impact | partnership on validating lateral flow test in collaboration with AHDB funded by BBSRC |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Title | Launch of a commercial penside diagnostic test for liver fluke in sheep and cattle |
| Description | lateral flow antibody detection test for liver fluke infection in sheep and cattle that can be used on farm by farmers and/or vets |
| Type | Diagnostic Tool - Non-Imaging |
| Current Stage Of Development | Refinement. Non-clinical |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2023 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | licence agreed with a global pharmaceutical company |
| Description | AHDB WEBINAR |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Webinar for sheep and cattle farmers on improving sustainable and resilient fluke control |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Final Farmer meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | Final meeting with collaborating farmers and other stakeholders to share results. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Invited Practice talk for farmers on control of liver fluke |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Evening talk to farmers who are members of a farm animal practice in Winton, N. Cumbria |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Invited presentation to BCVA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation on COWS and parasite control. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Liverpool Fluke Plan |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Produced the Liverpool Fluke Control Plan, postcard sized control plan distributed to farmers, vets and farming press on a number of occasions including the Animal Health Distributors Association annual conference, January 2020 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Penside diagnostic lateral flow test for liver fluke in sheep and cattle |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | summary of progress with the lateral flow test for farmers, vets and SQP/RAMAs. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation to DEFRA Welfare Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to DEFRA's Welfare group to demonstrate how the on farm pen-side test can be used and can improve welfare of sheep and cattle. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation to the Research and Development Board of Hybu Cig Cymru |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented results of the BBSRC IPA research grant to the HCC board - they part funded the project |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Presentation to the Ruminant Health and Welfare Group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to the RHWGp about the risks posed to cattle and sheep health from rumen fluke, Calicophoron daubneyi. Advise to minimise use of anthelmintics to treat for adult rumen fluke following diagnosis of eggs in faeces. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | SCOPS/FLUKE joint fluke advisory group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | jointly monthly press release to advise farmers, vets and other stakeholders of likely risks and advise on potential actions to be taken to minimise losses around fluke infection in sheep and cattle. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://www.cattleparasites.org.uk/cows-scops-say-testing-before-treating-for-liver-fluke-advisable-... |
| Description | Sheep Veterinary Society invited talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | presentation on control of liver fluke and development of the pen-side diagnostic test |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | The Farmer Network webinar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Evening discussion and presentation for sheep farmers on improved diagnosis and control of liver fluke. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Update revise control advice in COWS technical chapters, including liver and rumen fluke; gastrointestinal nematodes; integrated control programmes and lungworm. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Revision and update of technical chapters of the COWS technical manual - this is an on-line resource for farmers, vets, students, other prescribers and animal health advisors. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.cattleparasites.org.uk |
| Description | Webinar on fluke control at housing for Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | webinar on best practice around fluke control at housing |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | on line seminar for the agriculture and horticulture development board |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | seminar on fluke control to farmers, vets and SQP/RAMAs |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |