Feeding horses with industrially manufactured pellets with fungal spores to promote nematode integrated control.
Abstract: The usefulness of pellets industrially manufactured with spores of parasiticide fungi as a contribution to integrated nematode control was assessed in grazing horses throughout sixteen months. Two groups of 7 Pura Raza Galega autochthonous horses (G-T and G-P) were dewormed pour-on (1mg Ivermectin/kg bw) at the beginning of the trial, and other group (G-C) remained untreated. The G-P was provided daily with commercial pellets to which was added a mixture of fungal spores during the industrial manufacturing (2×10 spores of Mucor circinelloides and same dose of Duddingtonia flagrans/kg), and G-T and G-C received pellets without spores. The efficacy of the parasiticidal strategy was assessed by estimating the reduction in the faecal egg counts (FECR) and in the number of horses shedding eggs in the faeces (PHR), and also the egg reappearance periods (ERP). Blood analyses were performed to identify the changes in the red and white cell patterns. To ascertain if horses developed an IgG humoral response against the fungi, antigenic products collected from M. circinelloides and D. flagrans were exposed to the horse sera by using an ELISA. The faecal elimination of eggs of Parascaris equorum and strongyles ceased 2 weeks after treatment in G-T and G-P, thus the values of FECR and PHR were 100%. No P. equorum-eggs were detected later, and the strongyle egg reappearance period was 28 weeks in G-P, and 8 weeks in G-T. Strongyle egg-output values remained lower than 300 eggs per gram of faeces in the G-P, whereas numbers between 330 and 772 in G-C and G-T were recorded. Normal values for the erythrocytes, haemoglobin and haematocrit in horses consuming pellets with spores were recorded, and lower than normal in the other groups. Sensitization of horses to the fungal species was disproven. It is concluded that feeding horses with pellets industrially manufactured with fungal spores represents a very useful tool to implement an integrated control of helminths affecting horses. This strategy allows a decrease in their risk of infection, aids in reducing the frequency of anthelmintic treatment.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-09-20 PubMed ID: 27809976DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.09.014Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses the efficacy of feeding horses with industrially manufactured pellets containing fungal spores to help control nematodes, a type of parasitic worm. The study found this approach effective and beneficial in reducing these parasites in horses without side effects or sensitization.
Experiment Setup and Participants
- The research was conducted over sixteen months and involved two groups of 7 Pura Raza Galega horses identified as G-T and G-P. Both were dewormed at the start using a standard measure of Ivermectin, a common de-worming medication.
- Another group, G-C, served as a control group, and remained untreated.
- The G-P group was fed daily with industrially manufactured pellets to which a mixture of fungal spores were added during the manufacturing process. This mixture contained spores of Mucor circinelloides and Duddingtonia flagrans, two species of fungus known for their parasiticidal properties.
- G-T and G-C received the same types of pellets, but without the added fungal spores.
Evaluation and Tests
- The efficacy of the parasiticidal strategy was evaluated by studying the reduction in the fecal egg count (FECR), the number of horses shedding eggs in their feces (PHR), and the period between egg reappearance (ERP), which are all indicators of worm infection.
- Blood tests were also conducted to monitor changes in red and white blood cell patterns.
- Antigenic elements from the two fungi species, M. circinelloides and D. flagrans, were used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to determine if the horses developed any immune response (IgG humoral response) against the fungus.
Findings
- It was found that fecal elimination of eggs stopped after two weeks of treatment in group G-T and G-P, marking a 100% FECR and PHR.
- No P. equorum eggs were found afterwards, and the egg reappearance period for strongyle, another type of worm, was 28 weeks for the G-P group, as opposed to just 8 weeks for the G-T group.
- The egg output for the G-P group remained below 300 eggs per gram of feces, while the numbers for the G-C and G-T groups fluctuated between 330 and 772.
- Normal erythrocytes, haemoglobin and haematocrit values were recorded for horses eating pellets with fungal spores, with lower than normal values recorded in the other groups.
- No sensitization to the fungal species was observed in the horses.
Conclusion
- Feeding horses with pellets containing fungal spores offers an effective tool in integrated helminth control in horses, proving beneficial in reducing the risk of infection and the necessity for anthelmintic treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Hernández JÁ, Arroyo FL, Suárez J, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Romasanta Á, López-Arellano ME, Pedreira J, de Carvalho LMM, Sánchez-Andrade R, Arias MS, de Gives PM, Paz-Silva A.
(2016).
Feeding horses with industrially manufactured pellets with fungal spores to promote nematode integrated control.
Vet Parasitol, 229, 37-44.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.09.014 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain.
- Equine Diseases Study Group (COPAR, GI-2120), Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002-Lugo Spain. Electronic address: adolfo.paz@usc.es.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / microbiology
- Animals
- Anthelmintics / pharmacology
- Ascaridida Infections / prevention & control
- Ascaridida Infections / veterinary
- Ascaridoidea
- Duddingtonia
- Feces / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Ivermectin / pharmacology
- Mucor
- Parasite Egg Count
- Pest Control, Biological
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / parasitology
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / prevention & control
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Lozano J, Louro M, Almeida C, Victório AC, Melo P, Rodrigues JP, Oliveira M, Paz-Silva A, Madeira de Carvalho L. Isolation of saprophytic filamentous fungi from avian fecal samples and assessment of its predatory activity on coccidian oocysts. Sci Rep 2023 Jun 2;13(1):8965.
- Voinot M, Bonilla R, Sousa S, Sanchís J, Canhão-Dias M, Romero Delgado J, Lozano J, Sánchez-Andrade R, Sol Arias M, Madeira de Carvalho L. Control of Strongyles in First-Season Grazing Ewe Lambs by Integrating Deworming and Thrice-Weekly Administration of Parasiticidal Fungal Spores. Pathogens 2021 Oct 17;10(10).
- Viña C, Silva MI, Palomero AM, Voinot M, Vilá M, Hernández JÁ, Paz-Silva A, Sánchez-Andrade R, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Arias MS. The Control of Zoonotic Soil-Transmitted Helminthoses Using Saprophytic Fungi. Pathogens 2020 Dec 21;9(12).
- Palomero AM, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Valderrábano E, Paz-Silva A, Sánchez-Andrade R, Arias MS. Soil fungi enable the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in wild bovidae captive in a zoological park: a 4-year trial. Parasitology 2020 Jun;147(7):791-798.
- Palomero AM, Hernández JA, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Balán FA, Silva MI, Paz-Silva A, Sánchez-Andrade R, Vázquez MSA. Implementation of Biological Control to the Integrated Control of Strongyle Infection among Wild Captive Equids in a Zoological Park. Biomed Res Int 2018;2018:4267683.
- Hernández JÁ, Sánchez-Andrade R, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Arroyo FL, Sanchís JM, Paz-Silva A, Arias MS. A combined effort to avoid strongyle infection in horses in an oceanic climate region: rotational grazing and parasiticidal fungi. Parasit Vectors 2018 Apr 12;11(1):240.
- Hernández JA, Vázquez-Ruiz RA, Cazapal-Monteiro CF, Valderrábano E, Arroyo FL, Francisco I, Miguélez S, Sánchez-Andrade R, Paz-Silva A, Arias MS. Isolation of Ovicidal Fungi from Fecal Samples of Captive Animals Maintained in a Zoological Park. J Fungi (Basel) 2017 Jun 2;3(2).
- do Carmo TA, Fonseca JDS, Braga FR, Paz-Silva A, de Soutello RVG, de Araújo JV. Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2025 Mar 18;15(6).
- Sander C, Neumann S. Nematophagous fungi as biological control agents of parasitic nematodes in soils of wildlife parks. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2025 Apr;26:101033.
- Lozano J, Almeida C, Vicente E, Sebastião D, Palomero AM, Cazapal-Monteiro C, Arias MS, Oliveira M, Carvalho LM, Paz-Silva A. Assessing the efficacy of the ovicidal fungus Mucor circinelloides in reducing coccidia parasitism in peacocks. Sci Rep 2024 May 18;14(1):11352.
- Lozano J, Cunha E, Almeida C, Nunes M, Dias R, Vicente E, Sebastião D, Henriques S, Madeira de Carvalho L, Paz-Silva A, Oliveira M. Analyzing the safety of the parasiticide fungus Mucor circinelloides: first insights on its virulence profile and interactions with the avian gut microbial community. Microbiol Spectr 2024 May 2;12(5):e0407823.
- Lozano J, Cunha E, de Carvalho LM, Paz-Silva A, Oliveira M. First insights on the susceptibility of native coccidicidal fungi Mucor circinelloides and Mucor lusitanicus to different avian antiparasitic drugs. BMC Vet Res 2024 Feb 23;20(1):63.
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