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Predatory activity of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans in equine strongyle infective larvae on natural pasture in the Southern Region of Brazil

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Abstract

Biological control is an alternative method to reduce the population of parasites through natural predators. A promising option of biological control in the reduction of infective larvae on pasture is the use of nematophagous fungi. In this study, the efficacy of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans in controlling gastrointestinal nematode parasites in field-raised horses was tested. Ten foals with an average age of 12 months were divided in two groups: five males constituted the treated group and five females constituted the control group. Each group was introduced in a field of mixed pasture with approximately 5 ha. The treated group received the fungus D. flagrans at a concentration of 106 chlamydospores per kilogramme of animal body weight daily, mixed with horse food for 5 months. The control group did not receive the fungus. Samples were collected to perform eggs per gramme (EPG) counts weekly. Coproculture and collection of pasture were done monthly for larvae counting. No significant difference was observed in the EPG counting and in the number of larvae recovered from coprocultures, where cyathostomines, Strongylus and Trichostrongylus spp. were found after monthly larvae counting. No significant difference was observed in the EPG counts, and Trichostrongylus sp. was identified. The number of recovered larvae on pasture was significantly lower in the treated group in the last month of treatment, showing a reduction of 73.5% (p < 0.05). As such, the fungus was able to reduce the number of infective larvae in the pasture. Nevertheless, this did not reflect in a decrease of parasitic infection during the 5-month study period.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the staff of Santana do Rio Grande Stud farm, the Mycology Research Laboratory (LAPEMI-UFSM), the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases (UFSM) and the Integrated Centre for Laboratory Analysis Development (NIDAL-UFSM) for their invaluable collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Santa Maria, S. Maria, Brazil

    Gisane Lanes de Almeida

  2. Microbiology and Parasitology Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97.105-900, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Janio Morais Santurio & Mário Luiz de la Rue

  3. Department of Large Animal Clinics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil

    José Osvaldo Jardim Filho

  4. Course of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil

    Régis Adriel Zanette

  5. Santana do Rio Grande Stud, Aceguá, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Giovana Camillo & Alexandra Geyer Flores

  6. Zootechny Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil

    José Henrique Souza da Silva

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  1. Gisane Lanes de Almeida
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  2. Janio Morais Santurio
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  3. José Osvaldo Jardim Filho
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  4. Régis Adriel Zanette
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  5. Giovana Camillo
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  6. Alexandra Geyer Flores
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  7. José Henrique Souza da Silva
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  8. Mário Luiz de la Rue
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Correspondence to Mário Luiz de la Rue.

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de Almeida, G.L., Santurio, J.M., Filho, J.O.J. et al. Predatory activity of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans in equine strongyle infective larvae on natural pasture in the Southern Region of Brazil. Parasitol Res 110, 657–662 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2537-7

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