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Chagas ACS, Ribeiro DM, Osório H, Abreu AAP, Okino CH, Niciura SCM, Amarante AFT, Bello HJS, Melito GR, Esteves SN, Almeida AM. Molecular signatures of Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep: A comparative serum proteomic study on susceptible and resistant sheep breeds. Vet Parasitol 2024; 331:110280. [PMID: 39116550 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Due to the negative impact of Haemonchus contortus in the tropics and subtropics, the detection of serum protein profiles that occur in infected sheep is of high relevance for targeted selective treatment strategies (TST). Herein, we integrated proteomics with phenotypic traits to elucidate physiological mechanisms associated to H. contortus infection in susceptible (Dorper - D) and resistant (Santa Inês - S) sheep breeds. Naïve female lambs were infected with H. contortus third-stage larvae on day zero (D0), and samples were collected weekly, for 28 days. Feces were used for individual fecal egg counts (FEC) blood for packed cell volume (PCV) and serum for specific antibody quantification through ELISA. Sera was collected on D0 (-) and D21 (+), and analyzed using a LC-MS/MS based proteomics approach. FEC, PCV, and anti-H. contortus antibody levels confirmed the absence of infection on D0. On D28 there was a significant difference between the two breeds for logFEC means (D = 3774 and S = 3141, p=0.033) and PCV means (D = 16.3 % and S = 24.3 %, p=0.038). From a total of 754 proteins identified, 68 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were noted. Phosphopyruvate hydratase (ENO3) was a DAP in all comparisons, while S+ vs D+ and S- vs D- shared the highest number of DAPs (8). Each of the four experimental groups clustered separately in a principal component analysis (PCA) of protein profile. Among the DAPs, proteins associated with the innate and adaptive immune system were detected when comparing S- vs D- and S+ vs D+. In D-, some proteins were linked to stress response to handling, sampling and heat. Focusing on the consequences of infection in each breed, in the D+ vs D- comparison, upregulated proteins were associated with inflammation control and immune response, where downregulated proteins pointed to a negative impact of infection on tissue anabolism, compromising muscle growth and fat deposition. In the S+ vs S- comparison, upregulated proteins were related to immune response, while the downregulated proteins were possibly linked to muscular development and growth, impaired by infection. Collectively, it can be concluded that ENO3 regulation emerges as a potential factor underlying the differential immune response observed between Santa Inês and Dorper sheep infected with H. contortus. In turn, detected acute phase proteins (APPs) reinforce their relation with infection, inflammation and stress conditions, whereas THEMIS-like may contribute to the immune system in Dorper. GSDMD, Guanylate-binding protein and ACAN warrant further investigation as possible biomarkers for TST strategy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina S Chagas
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 234, São Carlos, SP 13560-970, Brazil.
| | - David M Ribeiro
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center (LEAF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Hugo Osório
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ana A P Abreu
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Cintia H Okino
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 234, São Carlos, SP 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Simone C M Niciura
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 234, São Carlos, SP 13560-970, Brazil
| | | | - Hornblenda J S Bello
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 234, São Carlos, SP 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Gláucia R Melito
- Centro Universitário Central Paulista (UNICEP), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Sérgio N Esteves
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, Rod. Washington Luiz, Km 234, São Carlos, SP 13560-970, Brazil
| | - André M Almeida
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food Research Center (LEAF), Associate Laboratory TERRA, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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Bassetto CC, Albuquerque ACA, Lins JGG, Marinho-Silva NM, Chocobar MLE, Bello HJS, Mena MO, Niciura SCM, Amarante AFT, Chagas ACS. Revisiting anthelmintic resistance in sheep flocks from São Paulo State, Brazil. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 24:100527. [PMID: 38447333 PMCID: PMC10923833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis are the most important gastrointestinal nematodes causing serious losses in sheep production of tropical and subtropical regions. Prophylaxis of gastrointestinal nematode infections is based on anthelmintics use, but their frequent administration selects multiple-resistant parasites. To evaluate how the situation has changed over the last decades, the anthelmintic resistance status of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep flocks was assessed in the current study and compared to previous surveys. In each one of the 15 flocks evaluated, animals (n ≥ 7) were allocated into at least five groups and treated as follows: 1) untreated control; 2) albendazole; 3) levamisole; 4) ivermectin; and 5) monepantel. If more animals were available, two additional groups were included: 6) closantel, and 7) moxidectin. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was carried out to evaluate the pre- and post-treatment using the SHINY tool. Haemonchus spp. was the most prevalent nematode from faecal cultures. The mean efficacy of albendazole was 40%. Only in two farms, levamisole presented a relatively high percentage of reduction in the FECRT about 90%, while ivermectin and moxidectin presented the worst mean efficacy of 34% and 21% among all farms, respectively. Like other anthelmintics, closantel demonstrated low efficacy (63%) across all farms evaluated. Monepantel presented an overall mean efficacy of 79%, but it was the only anthelmintic that presented efficacy ≥95%, in five farms. The results revealed that gastrointestinal nematodes with multiple anthelmintic resistance were prevalent in all 15 sheep herds. The research suggests that nematodes are becoming more and more resistant to various anthelmintic compounds, which has made the problem worse. This circumstance highlights the necessity to put into practice sustainable and long-lasting methods to prevent gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep husbandry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar C Bassetto
- Southeast Livestock Unit, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ana Cláudia A Albuquerque
- School of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - José Gabriel G Lins
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Hornblenda J S Bello
- Southeast Livestock Unit, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Mateus O Mena
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Simone C M Niciura
- Southeast Livestock Unit, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Alessandro F T Amarante
- Department of Biodiversity and Biostatistics, Institute of Biosciences, UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina S Chagas
- Southeast Livestock Unit, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA), São Carlos, SP, Brazil
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Cunha SMF, Willoughby O, Schenkel F, Cánovas Á. Genetic Parameter Estimation and Selection for Resistance to Gastrointestinal Nematode Parasites in Sheep-A Review. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:613. [PMID: 38396581 PMCID: PMC10886080 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are a major problem affecting sheep production systems worldwide. The flocks infected with GINs can undergo significant economic losses due to a decrease in productivity, the animals' deaths, and the costs associated with treatments. The over-reliance on anthelmintics in the past years to eliminate GINs has resulted in the development of resistance against the available commercial anthelmintics. Genetically resistant animals can be used in mating systems to improve the overall flock resistance. This review aimed to summarize the estimated genetic parameters for resistance traits and genetic gains through the use of genetic/genomic selection for resistance to GINs in sheep. Heritability estimates from the literature ranged from 0.00 to 0.46 for fecal egg counts, 0.12 to 0.37 for packed cell volume/hematocrit, 0.07 to 0.26 for FAffa MAlan CHArt (FAMACHA©), from 0.10 to 0.37 for blood parameters, and 0.19 for Immunoglobulin A. Genetic correlations between traits measuring resistance to GINs and production traits ranged from negative to positive values in the literature. Genetic gains are possible when genetic/genomic selection for GIN resistance is applied. Therefore, genetic/genomic selection can be used to improve flocks' resistance to GINs as a sustainable approach in sheep production systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samla Marques Freire Cunha
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Olivia Willoughby
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Flavio Schenkel
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ángela Cánovas
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
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Okino CH, Niciura SCM, Giaretta PR, Melito GR, Kapritchkoff RTI, Santos IBD, Rech RR, Minho AP, Esteves SN, Chagas ACDS. Enhanced mucosal response in sheep harbouring β A beta-globin against haemonchosis. Parasite Immunol 2023; 45:e13003. [PMID: 37400087 DOI: 10.1111/pim.13003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Association between ovine β-globin polymorphisms and resistance against haemonchosis was described and related to the mechanism of high oxygen affinity βA ➔ βC switch during anaemia, but there are no studies regarding the involved local host responses. Phenotypic parameters and local responses were evaluated in sheep from two β-globin haplotypes naturally infected with Haemonchus contortus. Morada Nova lambs were monitored at 63, 84 and 105 days of age for faecal egg counts and packed cell volume (PCV) under natural infection with H. contortus. At 210 days of age, lambs of Hb-AA and Hb-BB β-globin haplotypes were euthanised, and the fundic region of abomasum was sampled for evaluation of microscopic lesions and relative expression of genes related to immune, mucin and lectin activities. Lambs harbouring the βA allele presented an improved resistance/resilience against clinical haemonchosis, showing higher PCV during infection. Hb-AA animals presented increased eosinophilia in the abomasum compared to Hb-BB animals, accompanied by higher Th2 profile, mucin and lectin activity transcripts, while the inflammatory response was increased in Hb-BB animals. This is the first report to demonstrate an enhanced local response in the primary site of H. contortus infection related to βA allele of β-globin haplotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paula Roberta Giaretta
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | | | - Isabella Barbosa Dos Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raquel Rubia Rech
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
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Classification Performance of Machine Learning Methods for Identifying Resistance, Resilience, and Susceptibility to Haemonchus contortus Infections in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030374. [PMID: 36766263 PMCID: PMC9913374 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the feasibility of using easy-to-measure phenotypic traits to predict sheep resistant, resilient, and susceptible to gastrointestinal nematodes, compared the classification performance of multinomial logistic regression (MLR), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods, and evaluated the applicability of the best classification model on each farm. The database comprised 3654 records of 1250 Santa Inês sheep from 6 farms. The animals were classified into resistant (2605 records), resilient (939 records), and susceptible (110 records) according to fecal egg count and packed cell volume. A random oversampling method was performed to balance the dataset. The classification methods were fitted using the information of age class, the month of record, farm, sex, Famacha© degree, body weight, and body condition score as predictors, and the resistance, resilience, and susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes as the target classes to be predicted considering data from all farms randomly. An additional leave-one-farm-out cross-validation technique was used to assess prediction quality across farms. The MLR and LDA models presented good performances in predicting susceptible and resistant animals. The results suggest that the use of readily available records and easily measurable traits may provide useful information for supporting management decisions at the farm level.
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Chagas ACDS, Tupy O, Santos IBD, Esteves SN. Economic impact of gastrointestinal nematodes in Morada Nova sheep in Brazil. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2022; 31:e008722. [PMID: 36000609 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612022044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated the economic impact of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection in Morada Nova lambs under different parasite chemical control conditions. For this, 246 lambs, in the rainy and dry season, were randomized into groups according to their anthelmintic treatment with levamisole: control (CT: no treatment); routine treatment (RT: treated every 42 days); and targeted selective treatment (TST: treated according to the average daily weight gain, DWG). From 63 days of age (D63) to D210, the lambs were weighed and monitored for GIN infection parameters. Spending on anthelmintics in the production system was 1.3% of the total economic result. The economic result per animal (R$ 5.00 = US$ 1.00) was higher in the RT group, amounting to US$ 6.60 in the rainy and US$ 5.69 in the dry season, due to higher DWG. Thus, RT presented economic results 14.4% and 10.9% higher than CT, and 7.2% and 1.9% higher than TST, in the rainy and dry season, respectively. However, fast development of resistance made RT unfeasible. Here, the economic impact of GIN infection on a national scale is discussed, demonstrating its importance and the impossibility of profitable and sustainable sheep production without adequate control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Oscar Tupy
- Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste - CPPSE, São Carlos, SP, Brasil
| | - Isabella Barbosa Dos Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias - FCAV, Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil
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