Integrated control of digestive helminths in captive hervibores

The possibilities of developing the integrated control of digestive helminths in captive herbivores was investigated in a study divided into three field trials conducted in the Marcelle Natureza Zoological Park (Outeiro de Rei, Lugo, Spain). For the purpose to prevent their infection by certain helminths, chlamydospores of two soil saprophytic fungi (SSF) were administered by using different edible formulations. From the results obtained, it was concluded that the administration of chlamydospores of two strains of SSF to captive wild herbivores provides a safe procedure to obtain a a helpful and long-lasting effect on avoiding the infection by gastrointestinal nematodes, then it is strongly recommended as part of a strategical program which involves successful deworming also when needed

The Control of Zoonotic Soil-Transmitted Helminthoses Using Saprophytic Fungi

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) are parasites transmitted through contact with soil contaminated with their infective eggs/larvae. People are infected by exposure to human-specific species or animal species (zoonotic agents). Fecal samples containing eggs of Ascaris suum or Lemurostrongylus sp. were sprayed with spores of the soil saprophytic filamentous fungi Clonostachys rosea (CR) and Trichoderma atrobrunneum (TA). The antagonistic effect was assessed by estimating the viability of eggs and their developmental rate. Compared to the controls (unexposed to fungi), the viability of the eggs of A. suum was halved in CR and decreased by two thirds in TA, while the viability of the eggs of Lemurostrongylus sp. was reduced by one quarter and one third in CR and TA treatments, respectively. The Soil Contamination Index (SCI), defined as the viable eggs that attained the infective stage, reached the highest percentages for A. suum in the controls after four weeks (66%), with 21% in CL and 11% in TA. For Lemurostrongylus sp., the values were 80%, 49%, and 41% for control, CR and TA treatments, respectively. We concluded that spreading spores of C. rosea or T. atrobrunneum directly onto the feces of animal species represents a sustainable approach under a One Health context to potentially reduce the risk of zoonotic STHs in humansThis research was funded by the Research Projects CTM2015-65954-R and RYC-2016-21407 (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain; FEDER), and ED431F 2018/03 (Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria, Xunta de Galicia, Spain). María Sol Arias Vázquez is recipient of a Ramón y Cajal (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain) contractS

Advantageous Fungi against Parasites Transmitted through Soil

Although many fungal specimens are responsible for human and/or animal infection, other species are advantageous for preventing the infection by soil-transmitted zoonotic parasites. Infection occurs by the accidental ingestion of parasitic stages (cysts, oocysts, eggs, and larvae), their active penetration through the skin or through direct contact. Numerous species of helminths develop an external phase in the soil where the infective stages are attained, thus mammals become infected when grazing, drinking, or accidentally. Ectoparasites as ticks perform also in the soil the phase from egg to larva. Different soil saprophytic fungi that turn into predatory agents when parasitic stages are near have been isolated and described. These species are capable of destroying the pathogens or irreversibly decreasing their viability, providing thus a very interesting and sustainable tool to reduce environmental contamination by pathogenic agents. In the last year, a profound knowledge on the most appropriate fungal species, together with the proper way to disseminate them, has been acquired