Prospects for controlling animal parasitic nematodes by predacious micro fungi.
Abstract: Resistance against anthelmintics is widespread, particularly in parasitic nematode populations of small ruminants. Several new techniques or supplements have been developed or are under investigation. Biological control (BC) is one of these new methods. The net-trapping predacious fungus Duddingtonia flagrans produces thick walled resting spores, chlamydospores, which are able to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of cattle, horses, sheep and pigs. Under Danish climatic conditions it has been shown that the number of parasite larvae on pasture and the worm burden of the grazing animals is significantly reduced when animals are fed spores during the initial 2-3 months of the grazing season. Work with D. flagrans in France, Australia, USA, and Mexico has confirmed the strong BC potential of this fungus. Today much work is going into development of suitable delivery systems for grazing livestock worldwide. Ultimately, BC should be implemented in integrated parasite control strategies, both in conventional and organic livestock production.
Publication Date: 2000-06-30 PubMed ID: 10874715DOI: 10.1017/s0031182099005739Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research explores the potential for using a predacious fungus, Duddingtonia flagrans, as a biological control method for parasitic nematodes in livestock. Experiments show promising results in reducing the number of parasite larvae and worm burden in the animals.
Overview of the Research
- This research article investigates the possibilities of controlling animal parasitic nematodes using micro fungi, specifically the Duddingtonia flagrans. This idea stems from the increasing resistance of parasitic nematodes in small ruminants to common anthelmintics, a type of medicine used to expel parasitic worms from the body.
- Resistance to anthelmintics is a large-scale problem in the livestock sector. Active elements in these medications no longer have the desired effect of removing worms from livestock, necessitating the need for alternative methods.
Role of Duddingtonia flagrans
- Duddingtonia flagrans is a type of predacious fungus that generates chlamydospores, a kind of thick-walled resting spore. These spores have the unique ability to survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract of livestock animals, making them potential biological controllers of parasitic nematodes.
- Experimentation under Danish climate conditions revealed that feeding livestock with these spores during the initial 2-3 months of the grazing season significantly reduces the number of parasite larvae and the overall worm burden on pastures.
International Confirmation and Further Development
- This biocontrol method had not only worked in Denmark, but also confirmed by further studies in France, Australia, the USA, and Mexico, showing the consistent and potential power of D. flagrans in controlling parasitic nematodes across different climates.
- More work now focuses on the development of effective delivery systems for introducing the fungus into the diet of grazing livestock worldwide.
Integration into Control Strategies
- Ultimately, the goal is to integrate biological control using D. flagrans into broader parasitic control strategies. This would provide a new way to combat the rising resistance against anthelmintics, both in conventional and organic livestock production.
- It suggests a shift from drug-based parasitic control to a more natural and sustainable approach through biological control, which could potentially have long-term benefits for global livestock farming.
Cite This Article
APA
Larsen M.
(2000).
Prospects for controlling animal parasitic nematodes by predacious micro fungi.
Parasitology, 120 Suppl, S121-S131.
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0031182099005739 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Antibiosis
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / prevention & control
- Horse Diseases / prevention & control
- Horses
- Mitosporic Fungi
- Nematode Infections / prevention & control
- Nematode Infections / veterinary
- Sheep
- Sheep Diseases / prevention & control
- Swine
- Swine Diseases / prevention & control
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Tombak KJ, Hansen CB, Kinsella JM, Pansu J, Pringle RM, Rubenstein DI. The gastrointestinal nematodes of plains and Grevy's zebras: Phylogenetic relationships and host specificity.. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2021 Dec;16:228-235.
- Nazish A, Fozia, Khattak B, Ali Khan T, Ahmad I, Ullah R, Bari A, Asmari MM, Mahmood HM, Sohaib M, El Askary A, El-Kott AF, Abdel-Daim MM. Antinematode Activity of Abomasum Bacterial Culture Filtrates against Haemonchus contortus in Small Ruminants.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 21;11(6).
- Liu K, Zhang W, Lai Y, Xiang M, Wang X, Zhang X, Liu X. Drechslerella stenobrocha genome illustrates the mechanism of constricting rings and the origin of nematode predation in fungi.. BMC Genomics 2014 Feb 8;15:114.
- Shalaby HA. Anthelmintics Resistance; How to Overcome it?. Iran J Parasitol 2013 Jan;8(1):18-32.
- da Cruz DG, Araújo FB, Molento MB, Damatta RA, de Paula Santos C. Kinetics of capture and infection of infective larvae of trichostrongylides and free-living nematodes Panagrellus sp. by Duddingtonia flagrans.. Parasitol Res 2011 Oct;109(4):1085-91.
- Xie H, Aminuzzaman FM, Xu L, Lai Y, Li F, Liu X. Trap induction and trapping in eight nematode-trapping fungi (Orbiliaceae) as affected by juvenile stage of Caenorhabditis elegans.. Mycopathologia 2010 Jun;169(6):467-73.
- Campos AK, Araújo JV, Guimarães MP, Dias AS. Resistance of different fungal structures of Duddingtonia flagrans to the digestive process and predatory ability on larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Strongyloides papillosus in goat feces.. Parasitol Res 2009 Oct;105(4):913-9.
- Paraud C, Pors I, Chartier C. Efficiency of feeding Duddingtonia flagrans chlamydospores to control nematode parasites of first-season grazing goats in France.. Vet Res Commun 2007 Apr;31(3):305-15.
- Waller PJ, Ljungström BL, Schwan O, Martin LR, Morrison DA, Rydzik A. Biological control of sheep parasites using Duddingtonia flagrans: trials on commercial farms in Sweden.. Acta Vet Scand 2006;47(1):23-32.
- Paraud C, Pors I, Chicard C, Chartier C. Comparative efficacy of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans against Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in goat faeces: influence of the duration and of the temperature of coproculture.. Parasitol Res 2006 Feb;98(3):207-13.
- Dimander SO, Höglund J, Waller PJ. Disintegration of dung pats from cattle treated with the ivermectin anthelmintic bolus, or the biocontrol agent Duddingtonia flagrans.. Acta Vet Scand 2003;44(3-4):171-80.
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