Infections with D. dendriticum are distributed worldwide and mostly associated with ruminant livestock. Depending on the length and strength of the infection it can be manifested with losses in milk production, reductions in milk and wool quality, decreased weight gains, reproductive performance and poor carcass quality. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of albendazole (ABZ) against the lancet liver fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum in naturally infected sheep using parasitological methods. Twenty-four sheep were divided into four groups: two untreated control groups (C₁, C₂) and two treated groups (T₁, T₂), with six animals in each group. The sheep in the treated groups were administered a single oral dose (15 mg/kg bwt) of ABZ suspension. After ABZ treatment the animals were slaughtered on Day 14 (groups C₁, T₁) and Day 30 (groups C₂, T₂) and were necropsied. Coprological therapeutic ABZ efficacy reached 92.4% on Day 14 (P < 0.001) and 88.5% on Day 30 (P < 0.001). On Day 30, the serum activities of hepatic and cholestatic enzymes including serological analysis of total protein concentration (TP) and protein fractions were evaluated. Significant decrease of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P < 0.01) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) (P < 0.05) activity by 36.9% and 34.6%, respectively, were detected for sheep in T₂ group. These enzymes showed a strong positive correlation to fluke burden: AST (r = 0.654) and GGT (r = 0.768), respectively (P < 0.05). Additionally, the electrophoretic analysis of serum total protein and protein fraction concentrations revealed minimal hypoproteinemia and hyperalbuminemia after ABZ treatment. The decrease of liver enzyme activities and their correlation with fluke burden may indicate recovery of hepatocellular and biliary damage following the reduction of fluke burdens after ABZ therapy. A decline in AST and GGT activity could serve as a valuable adjunct bioindicator of liver damage and fluke reduction after treatment of dicrocoeliosis in naturally infected sheep.

树突状线虫感染分布于世界各地，主要与反刍家畜有关。根据感染的持续时间和强度，可能表现为产奶量下降、牛奶和羊毛质量下降、体重增加减少、繁殖性能下降以及胴体质量差。本研究的目的是使用寄生虫学方法确定阿苯达唑 (ABZ) 对自然感染的羊中的柳叶刀肝吸虫树突双腔体的功效。将 24 只羊分为四组：两个未处理的对照组（C ₁ 、C ₂ ）和两个处理组（T ₁ 、T ），每组有六只动物。治疗组中的绵羊被给予单次口服剂量（15毫克/千克体重）的ABZ悬浮液。 ABZ治疗后，在第14天（组C ₁ 、T ₁ ）和第30天（组C ₂ 、T ₂ 组绵羊的天冬氨酸转氨酶（AST）（P < 0.01）和γ-谷氨酰转移酶（GGT）（P < 0.05）活性显着下降，分别降低了36.9%和34.6%。这些酶与吸虫负荷呈强正相关：分别为 AST (r = 0.654) 和 GGT (r = 0.768) (P < 0.05)。此外，血清总蛋白和蛋白组分浓度的电泳分析显示，ABZ 治疗后低蛋白血症和高白蛋白血症极少。 肝酶活性的降低及其与吸虫负担的相关性可能表明ABZ治疗后吸虫负担减少后肝细胞和胆道损伤的恢复。 AST 和 GGT 活性的下降可以作为自然感染羊双体腔病治疗后肝损伤和吸虫减少的有价值的辅助生物指标。