Can the foregut nematode Haemonchus contortus and medicinal plants influence the fecal microbial community of the experimentally infected lambs?

PLoS One. 2020 Jun 23;15(6):e0235072. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0235072. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The abomasal parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus can influence the abomasal microbiome of the host. On the other hand, no information occurs on the influence of the parasite on the hindgut microbiome of the host. We evaluated the impact of Haemonchus contortus on the fecal microbial community of the experimentally infected lambs treated with a mixture of medicinal herbs to ameliorate the haemonchosis. Twenty-four female lambs were divided into four groups: infected animals (Inf), infected animals supplemented with a blend of medicinal herbs (Inf+Herb), uninfected control animals (Control), and uninfected animals supplemented with medicinal herbs (C+Herb). Inf and Inf+Herb lambs were infected orally with approximately 5000 L3 larvae of a strain of H. contortus susceptible to anthelmintics (MHco1). Herb blend (Herbmix) consisted of dry medicinal plants of Althaea officinalis, Petasites hybridus, Inula helenium, Malva sylvestris, Chamomilla recutita, Plantago lanceolata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Solidago virgaurea, Fumaria officinalis, Hyssopus officinalis, Melisa officinalis, Foeniculum vulgare, and Artemisia absinthium. Each animal was fed meadow hay and a commercial concentrate (600 + 350 g DM/d). Inf+Herb and C+Herb lambs were fed Herbmix (100 g DM/d and animal). Treatment lasted for 50 days. The fecal microbial fermentation parameters (short-chain fatty acids, ammonia, and pH) were evaluated at intervals of 0, 20, 32, and 50 days. The fecal eubacterial populations were evaluated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) at day 32 when H. contortus infection was the highest. No substantial effects of the H. contortus infection and the herbal treatment on fecal microbial fermentation parameters and fecal eubacterial populations were observed. Evaluation of DGGE patterns by Principal component analysis pointed to the tendency to branch the C+Herb group from the other experimental groups on Day 32. The results indicate that hindgut microbial activity was not disturbed by H. contortus infection and herbal treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abomasum / drug effects*
  • Abomasum / microbiology
  • Abomasum / parasitology
  • Animals
  • Anthelmintics / pharmacology
  • Digestive System / drug effects*
  • Digestive System / microbiology
  • Digestive System / parasitology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Female
  • Haemonchiasis / drug therapy*
  • Haemonchiasis / parasitology
  • Haemonchiasis / veterinary
  • Haemonchus / drug effects*
  • Haemonchus / physiology
  • Microbiota / drug effects
  • Microbiota / physiology
  • Phytotherapy / methods
  • Plant Preparations / pharmacology*
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry*
  • Plants, Medicinal / classification
  • Sheep
  • Sheep Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Sheep Diseases / parasitology
  • Species Specificity

Substances

  • Anthelmintics
  • Plant Preparations

Grants and funding

The funding sources were: Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV 14-0169): ZV Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV 18-0131): MV Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and the Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA 2/0069/17): SK The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.