In vitro evaluation of the effect of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans, Monacrosporium sinense, and Pochonia chlamydosporia on Ascaris suum eggs

Parasitol Res. 2008 Mar;102(4):787-90. doi: 10.1007/s00436-007-0852-9. Epub 2008 Jan 4.

Abstract

The in vitro effect of four isolates of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC 001), Monacrosporium sinense (SF 53), and Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC 1 and VC 4) on eggs of Ascaris suum was evaluated. One hundred thousand A. suum eggs were plated on 2% water-agar with the grown isolates and control without fungus. After 7, 14, and 21 days, 100 eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell, besides hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. P. chlamydosporia showed ovicidal activity (p < 0.01), mainly of the type 3 effect, on A. suum eggs in the studied intervals of 13.3% (isolate VC 1) and 17.3% (isolate VC 4), 13.9% (VC 1) and 17.7% (VC 4), and 19% (VC 1) and 20% (VC4), respectively, at 7, 14, and 21 days. The other fungi showed no type 3 effect. P. chlamydosporia is a potential biological control agent of A. suum eggs.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Ascaris suum / microbiology*
  • Ascomycota / classification
  • Ascomycota / physiology*
  • Female
  • Ovum / microbiology*
  • Pest Control, Biological*
  • Time Factors