Viability of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of horses.
Abstract: The predatory capacity of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (isolate VC4) embedded in sodium alginate pellets after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of horses was assessed in vitro against Oxyuris equi eggs. Twelve previously dewormed crossbred mares, average weight of 362.5kg (+/-21) were used in the experiment. Each animal of the treated group received an oral dose (100g) of sodium alginate pellets containing P. chlamydosporia mycelial mass. The control group received pellets without fungus. Faecal samples from fungus-treated and control groups were collected at intervals of 8, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 72h after pellet administration and placed in Petri dishes containing 2% water-agar. One thousand eggs of O. equi were plated in Petri dishes of both treated and control groups, with six replicates, and incubated in oven, 25 degrees C, in the dark, for 30 days. At the end of the experiment, one hundred eggs were removed from each Petri dish and classified according to the following parameters: type 1, physiological and biochemical effect without morphological damage to eggshell, with hyphae adhered to the shell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological change in the eggshell and embryo without hyphal penetration, and type 3, lytic effect with morphological change in the eggshell and embryo, with hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. Chlamydospore production was observed in Petri dishes of the treated group. The isolate VC4 remained viable after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of horses and maintained the ovicidal activity against O. equi eggs when compared with the control group (p<0.01) after each collection interval: 29.1% (8h), 28.2% (12h), 31.1% (24h), 27.4% (36h), 30.9% (48h) and 28.4% (72h). The results suggest that P. chlamydosporia could be used as an effective biological control agent of O. equi eggs in natural conditions.
Publication Date: 2009-12-02 PubMed ID: 20036059DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.11.020Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This study investigates the capability of the fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia to survive and maintain its predatory nature against Oxyuris equi eggs, a parasite in horses, after passing through the digestive tract of the horse.
Study Overview
- The research focused on the viability and potency of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia (isolate VC4) in combating parasites, specifically Oxyuris equi eggs, in horses. The fungus was incorporated into sodium alginate pellets and fed to horses. The excrement was then analyzed to see if the fungus survived the gastrointestinal tract.
Experimental Design
- The study involved twelve dewormed crossbred mares of average weight 362.5kg. Each mare in the experiment-treated group was given an oral dose of sodium alginate pellets that contained P. chlamydosporia, while the control group received pellets that did not contain the fungus.
- Excrement samples were collected from the horses at specified time intervals after pellet administration and introduced to O. equi eggs in Petri dishes. The fate of the eggs was observed and categorized into three types based on specific parameters relating to morphological change, the presence of hyphae, and internal colonization.
Results
- The results show a significant ovicidal activity against O. equi eggs in all treated groups. This activity exhibited was a clear indication that P. chlamydosporia survived the passage through the GI tract of the horses and maintained its predation capacity.
- Another crucial observation was the production of Chlamydospore (a form of fungal spore) in the treated group’s Petri dishes, providing additional evidence of the fungus’s viability after passing through the horse’s gastrointestinal tract.
Summary
- This study indicates that P. chlamydosporia can potentially be used as an effective biological control agent against O. equi eggs, providing a non-chemical, environmentally friendly solution to control this horse parasite.
- The researchers concluded that the fungus remained viable and continued its predatory activity even after passing through the gastrointestinal tract, suggesting it could be administered orally to horses for controlling O. equi infection.
Cite This Article
APA
Braga FR, Araújo JV, Silva AR, Carvalho RO, Araujo JM, Ferreira SR, Carvalho GR.
(2009).
Viability of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia after passage through the gastrointestinal tract of horses.
Vet Parasitol, 168(3-4), 264-268.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.11.020 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departamento de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa-MG, Cep, Brazil.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Enterobius / microbiology
- Female
- Gastrointestinal Tract / microbiology
- Horses
- Hypocreales / physiology
- Ovum / microbiology
- Ovum / physiology
- Pest Control, Biological / methods
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Li S, Wang D, Gong J, Zhang Y. Individual and Combined Application of Nematophagous Fungi as Biological Control Agents against Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Domestic Animals. Pathogens 2022 Jan 27;11(2).
- Maestrini M, Nardoni S, Mancianti F, Mancini S, Perrucci S. In Vitro Inhibiting Effects of Three Fungal Species on Eggs of Donkey Gastrointestinal Strongyles. Vet Sci 2020 Apr 25;7(2).
- 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).
- Hiura E, Del Carmen Garcia Lopes A, da Paz JS, Gava MG, Flecher MC, Colares M, de Freitas Soares FE, da Fonseca LA, Lacerda T, de Araújo JV, Braga FR. Fungi predatory activity on embryonated Toxocara canis eggs inoculated in domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) and destruction of second stage larvae. Parasitol Res 2015 Sep;114(9):3301-8.
- Dias AS, Araújo JV, Braga FR, Puppin AC, Perboni WR. Pochonia chlamydosporia in the biological control of Fasciola hepatica in cattle in Southeastern Brazil. Parasitol Res 2013 Jun;112(6):2131-6.
- Ferreira SR, de Araújo JV, Braga FR, Araujo JM, Frassy LN, Ferreira AS. Biological control of Ascaris suum eggs by Pochonia chlamydosporia fungus. Vet Res Commun 2011 Dec;35(8):553-8.
- Dias AS, Araújo JV, Braga FR, Araujo JM, Puppin AC, Fernandes FM, Ramos RF, Bertonceli RM, da Silva RG, Perboni WR. Biological control of Fasciola hepatica eggs with the Pochonia chlamydosporia fungus after passing through the cattle gastrointestinal tract. Parasitol Res 2012 Feb;110(2):663-7.
- Ma Y, Lv J, Hao L, Li Z, Ma C, Wang R, Jiang L, Fan Z. Proteomic analyses of the regulatory mechanisms underlying Pochonia chlamydosporia infection in Parascaris equorum eggs. Front Microbiol 2025;16:1644912.
- 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).
- Ma Y, Lv J, Jiang L, Fan Z, Hao L, Li Z, Ma C, Wang R, Luo H. In vitro ovicidal studies on egg-parasitic fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia and safety tests on mice. Front Vet Sci 2024;11:1505824.
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