Abstract :
The present study investigated for the first time benzimidazole (BZ) resistance in
Haemonchus contortus originating from sheep in the area of Thessaloniki, Northern Greece,
using an allele-specific PCR. This method detects a polymorphism (Phe/Tyr) that affects the
amino acid at position 200 of the -tubulin protein, and is known to be linked to BZ resistance.
Forty adult worms were collected from local abattoir from 8 flocks. From each flock
a total of 5 sheep were sampled and from each sheep one worm was collected. It was found
that all 40 worms were homozygous benzimidazole resistant, which demonstrates for the
first time that resistant strains of H. contortus do exist in sheep farms in Northern Greece.
These results have practical implications in sheep farmer consulting in Greece, because
sensitive screening of important worms using molecular methods may offer in the future
a valid estimation on the correct use of anthelmintics towards a more effective control of
gastrointestinal nematode parasites of small ruminants.
