Duddingtonia flagrans in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes of horses

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 159; pp. 1 - 4
• Main Authors: Buzatti, Andréia, de Paula Santos, Clóvis, Fernandes, Maria Angela Machado, Yoshitani, Ursula Yaeko, Sprenger, Lew Kan, dos Santos, Carolina Dallagassa, Molento, Marcelo Beltrão
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-12-2015
• Subjects: Animals; Duddingtonia - physiology; Duddingtonia flagrans; Endoparasites; Fecal culture; Feces - parasitology; Female; Fungus; Horse Diseases - parasitology; Horse Diseases - therapy; Horses; Infective larvae; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - therapy; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic - veterinary; Larva - physiology; Male; Nematoda; Nematode Infections - parasitology; Nematode Infections - therapy; Nematode Infections - veterinary; Parasite Egg Count - veterinary; Pasture; Pest Control, Biological - methods; Time Factors; Endoparasites; Fungus; Pasture; Fecal culture; Infective larvae
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2015.07.006

Horses can harbor a large amount of parasites that may cause serious clinical signs even death. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predatory activity of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans against infective larvae (L3) of gastrointestinal nematodes of horses in fecal culture. The experimental design was completely randomized with three treated groups (G1, G2 and G3) and one control (CG), using eight animals/group. The treated animals received G1: 1.5 × 105; G2: 3 × 105 and G3: 6 × 105 chlamydospores of D. flagrans/kg body weight during 21 days. The fungi preparation was given at every other three-day interval. Faecal samples were collected during 30 days, on the same interval, to perform the fecal egg counts (EPG) and fecal culture for each horse. All groups demonstrated similar results for the EPG (P > 0.05) counts. D. flagrans significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the number of infective larvae after 72 h-interval between treatments. The G2 and G3 promoted higher results (P < 0.05) of L3 reduction compared to the CG. The biological control with the predacious fungi D. flagrans is still a promising free-living parasite regulator alternative to be use in livestock.
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•Duddingtonia flagrans reduced the number of infective larvae.•The D. flagrans promoted higher results in L3 reduction.•The biological control is a promise in parasite control.