Investigating the effect of antibiotic and vitamin C on the anthelminthic efficacy of piperazine and albendazole in local chicken.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Poultry parasitic nematodes remain a major constraint to local chicken production in Uganda. Farmers frequently co-administer albendazole with the aminoglycoside antibiotic neomycin to manage mixed parasitic–bacterial infections yet the effect of this combination on anthelmintic efficacy has not been experimentally validated. This study assessed whether concurrent neomycin administration influences the efficacy of albendazole against gastrointestinal helminths in local chickens. Thirty naturally infected birds were randomly allocated to three treatment groups, assigned 10 birds per group: albendazole + neomycin as an experimental group, albendazole alone as a positive control and untreated group (negative control). Efficacy was measured by faecal egg count reduction using the modified McMaster technique on Day 0 and Day 7, analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD test to determine the statistical difference between the treatment groups. The experimental group recorded the highest mean faecal egg reduction of 295.00, standard deviation 95.60, followed by the positive control 235.00, standard deviation 102.88 and the negative control 130.00, standard deviation 82.33. Both active treatments significantly outperformed the untreated control (p < 0.05), but the combination and albendazole monotherapy were statistically equivalent. The findings demonstrate that neomycin does not antagonize albendazole and may offer a modest complementary benefit. Concurrent use of albendazole and neomycin is therefore a safe and practical option for managing mixed infections in smallholder poultry systems. Larger trials with longer follow-up are recommended to confirm long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
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Undergraduate research report
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Citation
Okwera, S. (2026). Investigating the effect of antibiotic and vitamin C on the anthelminthic efficacy of piperazine and albendazole in local chicken. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.