Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review
Equine farming faces growing challenges with helminthoses, aggravated by the indiscriminate use of anthelmintics without technical criteria. This practice favors resistance to these drugs, generates residues in animal products, compromises food safety and human health, and, when excreted in large qu...
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MDPI AG
2025-03-01
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| author | Tábata Alves do Carmo Júlia dos Santos Fonseca Fabio Ribeiro Braga Adolfo Paz-Silva Ricardo Velludo Gomes de Soutello Jackson Victor de Araújo |
| author_facet | Tábata Alves do Carmo Júlia dos Santos Fonseca Fabio Ribeiro Braga Adolfo Paz-Silva Ricardo Velludo Gomes de Soutello Jackson Victor de Araújo |
| author_sort | Tábata Alves do Carmo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Equine farming faces growing challenges with helminthoses, aggravated by the indiscriminate use of anthelmintics without technical criteria. This practice favors resistance to these drugs, generates residues in animal products, compromises food safety and human health, and, when excreted in large quantities, negatively impacts environmental health by affecting invertebrates and fecal microorganisms. This highlights the importance of the One Health approach. A promising alternative is biological control with nematophagous or helminthophagous fungi such as <i>Duddingtonia flagrans</i>, <i>Pochonia chlamydosporia</i>, <i>Arthrobotrys oligospora</i>, <i>Monacrosporium thaumasium</i>, <i>Mucor circinelloides</i> and <i>Purpureocillium lilacinum</i>. Due to their different mechanisms of action, ovicidal and predatory fungi, when used together, can act in a complementary and synergistic way in the biological control of helminths, increasing their effectiveness in reducing parasitic infections. The use of these fungi through biosynthesized nanoparticles from fungal filtrates is also emerging as a new approach to nematode control. It can be administered through feed supplementation in commercial formulations. The aim of this review is to explore the use of helminthophagous fungi in the control of helminthiases in horses, highlighting their potential as a biological alternative. It also aims to understand how these fungi can contribute effectively and sustainably to parasite management in horses. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj-art-f3b5fea8c3e042f9b10ff7b74343b4f72025-08-20T02:11:00ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152025-03-0115686410.3390/ani15060864Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A ReviewTábata Alves do Carmo0Júlia dos Santos Fonseca1Fabio Ribeiro Braga2Adolfo Paz-Silva3Ricardo Velludo Gomes de Soutello4Jackson Victor de Araújo5Department of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Viçosa—UFV, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, BrazilDepartment of Epidemiology and Public Health, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro—UFRRJ, Seropédica 23890-000, RJ, BrazilLaboratory of Experimental Parasitology and Biological Control, Vila Velha University—UVV, Vila Velha 29102-920, ES, BrazilDepartment of Animal Pathology, University of Santiago de Compostela—USC, 27002 Lugo, Galícia, SpainSchool of Agrarian and Technological Sciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista—UNESP, Dracena 17900-000, SP, BrazilDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Viçosa—UFV, Viçosa 36570-900, MG, BrazilEquine farming faces growing challenges with helminthoses, aggravated by the indiscriminate use of anthelmintics without technical criteria. This practice favors resistance to these drugs, generates residues in animal products, compromises food safety and human health, and, when excreted in large quantities, negatively impacts environmental health by affecting invertebrates and fecal microorganisms. This highlights the importance of the One Health approach. A promising alternative is biological control with nematophagous or helminthophagous fungi such as <i>Duddingtonia flagrans</i>, <i>Pochonia chlamydosporia</i>, <i>Arthrobotrys oligospora</i>, <i>Monacrosporium thaumasium</i>, <i>Mucor circinelloides</i> and <i>Purpureocillium lilacinum</i>. Due to their different mechanisms of action, ovicidal and predatory fungi, when used together, can act in a complementary and synergistic way in the biological control of helminths, increasing their effectiveness in reducing parasitic infections. The use of these fungi through biosynthesized nanoparticles from fungal filtrates is also emerging as a new approach to nematode control. It can be administered through feed supplementation in commercial formulations. The aim of this review is to explore the use of helminthophagous fungi in the control of helminthiases in horses, highlighting their potential as a biological alternative. It also aims to understand how these fungi can contribute effectively and sustainably to parasite management in horses.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/864biological controlchlamydosporesnematodesequinenematophagous fungi |
| spellingShingle | Tábata Alves do Carmo Júlia dos Santos Fonseca Fabio Ribeiro Braga Adolfo Paz-Silva Ricardo Velludo Gomes de Soutello Jackson Victor de Araújo Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review Animals biological control chlamydospores nematodes equine nematophagous fungi |
| title | Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review |
| title_full | Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review |
| title_short | Exploring the Use of Helminthophagous Fungi in the Control of Helminthoses in Horses: A Review |
| title_sort | exploring the use of helminthophagous fungi in the control of helminthoses in horses a review |
| topic | biological control chlamydospores nematodes equine nematophagous fungi |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/6/864 |
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