Protecting farming animals from infection is critical not only to maintain the sustainability of farms but also for the animals’ well-being. The helminth parasitic pathogens are amongst the most important production-limiting diseases of grazing ruminants. Because of the frequent anthelmintic usages to control these infections, many of these pathogens became drug-resistant across Europe and globally, making the topic of Anthelmintic Resistance (AR) a priority for research.
Introducing COMBAR
COST Action Combatting anthelmintic resistance in ruminants (COMBAR) has worked specifically on this matter, bringing together a multi-disciplinary blend of scientists that rarely interact together such as parasitologists, social scientists and agricultural economists. Recently ended (March 2022), COMBAR sparked concrete advances in this field by reaching out to wider communities and developing educational material to assist farmers.
One of its major achievements was also the harmonisation of diagnostic protocols to monitor AR in the field. This supports researchers in conducting surveys in a similar way, compare results and thus grow the knowledge of AR status across Europe
The Chair of this COST Action, Dr Johannes Charlier, tells us more about these achievements in this video-interview:
Further information
- Read more about COST Action COMBAR here
- COMBAR animated video on sustainable worm control ‘Test, Don’t Guess!’ here
- COMBAR visual guide on ‘Targeted selective treatment of internal parasites in small ruminants’ here
- COMBAR video ‘Best practice for diagnosis for anthelmintic resistance: from the field to the lab’ here