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2002
LSU-HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Program |
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 Lynn
Taylor (St. Mary’s College) and Errika Whitaker (Grambling
State University and a participant in LSU’s BRIN Program)
(James Miller, Dept. of Pathobiological Science, LSU School
of Veterinary Medicine) The Effect of Duddingtonia
flagrans in reducing infective larvae in feces of ewes and lambs
Livestock across the world suffer from infectious nematodes
such as Haemonchus contortus for example. However, rising resistance
of the nematodes to the anthelmintic treatments have inspired
a search for alternate routes of biological controls. Duddingtonia
flagrans is a nematode trapping fungus that can be used to control
the level of nematode larvae in the feces of the animals and
therefore further infection of the parasite. Two groups, containing
both lambs and ewes, were used in this study. The experimental
group were given 500,000 D. flagrans spores per kg body weight
per day in the feed while the control group were fed normally.
Both groups were placed in two different pastures. Fecal samples
and blood samples were taken from every animal weekly to find
the fecal egg counts (FEC) and packed cell volume (PCV). Pasture
samples were also taken from the two pastures biweekly to find
the larval survivability in the grass. Lastly fecal cultures
were also done on the feces obtained from the animals. The data
was compiled and compared to find that the sheep that were fed
the fungus spores had lower fecal egg counts and fewer surviving
larvae in the pastures than those who were not fed the fungus.
The results show that the fungus succeeded in controlling the
levels of larvae in the sheep feces, which suggests that D.
flagrans can and should be considered as a biological control
for nematode infections.
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