The predatory nematophagous fungi have been used as an alternative control of gastrointestinal nematodes of domestic animals in natural and laboratory conditions. However, it is unclear if the association of some of these species could bring some kind of advantage, from a biological standpoint. In this context, this study consisted of two tests in vitro: in assay A, the assessment of the viability of the association of pellets in sodium alginate matrix containing the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) and its predatory activity on infective larvae (L3) of cyathostomin after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of horses and assay B, assessment of the cyathostomin L3 reduction percentage in coprocultures. Twelve crossbred horses, females, with a mean weight of 356 kg and previously dewormed were divided in three groups with four animals each: group 1, each animal received 50 g of pellets containing mycelial mass of the fungus D. flagrans and 50 g of pellets of the fungus M. thaumasium, associated and in a single oral dose; group 2, 100 g of pellets containing D. flagrans and 100 g of pellets containing M. thaumasium, associated and in a single oral dose; group 3, control. Faecal samples were collected from animals in the treated and control groups at time intervals of 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after the administration of treatments and placed in Petri dishes containing 2% water-agar (assay A) and cups for coprocultures (assay B). Subsequently, 1000 cyathostomin L3 were added to each Petri dish (assay A) and 1000 cyathostomin eggs were added to each coproculture (assay B) of fungi-treated and control groups. At the end of 15 days, there was observed that the two associations of pellets containing the fungi tested showed predatory activity after passing through the gastrointestinal tract of horses (assay A). In assay B, all the intervals studied showed reduction rate in the number of L3 recovered from coprocultures exceeding 80%. However, no difference (p>0.01) was seen in recovery of not predated L3 between the fungi-treated groups in the time intervals studied. The results obtained showed that the associations of pellets (50 or 100 g of each fungal isolate) were viable after passage through the gastrointestinal tract in horses and could be used in natural conditions.

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Gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) can reduce or limit sheep production. Currently there is a clear deficiency in the action of drugs for the control of these parasites. Nematophagous fungi are natural enemies of GIN. Fungal combinations have potential for reducing GIN populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency combinations of nematophagous fungi in sodium alginate matrix pellets for the biological control agents of gastrointestinal sheep nematode parasites in the field. The nematophagous fungi (0.2mg of fungus per kg of body weight), Arthrobotrys conoides, A. robusta, Duddingtonia flagrans, and Monacrosporium thaumasium were used. The treated groups were administered mycelium combinations in the following combinations: group 1 (D. flagrans+A. robusta); group 2 (M. thaumasium+A. conoides). The control group did not receive any fungal pellets. We used three groups with eight Santa Inês sheep each. Each animal was treated with approximately 1g of pellet per 10kg of live weight. During the experimental period, we evaluated: number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG), infective larvae (L) per kg of dry matter, larvae recovered from coprocultures, packed cell volume, total plasma protein concentration of sheep, and environmental conditions. Group 2 EPG (M. thaumasium+A. conoides) differed from the control group in September and October. The number of L3/kg of dry matter recovered from animals of groups 1 and 2 at distances of 0-20 and 20-40cm from the fecal pats was lower than the control group. The packed cell volume and total plasma proteins of treated animals were similar to those of the control group. The combination of treatment groups (D. flagrans+A. robusta and M. thaumasium+A. conoides) reduced the number of L/kg of pasture. Therefore, treatment of nematophagous fungal combinations have the potential to manage free-living stages of GIN in sheep.

Libyostrongylus douglassii is a gastrointestinal nematode parasite of ostriches that can cause up to 50% mortality in young birds. The objective of this study was to compare the predatory capacity of two isolates of the predatory fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001 and CG722 isolates) and one of Arthrobotrys cladodes (CG719) on infective larvae (L 3 ) of L. douglassii under laboratory conditions, in 2% water-agar medium. The results showed that the fungi tested were effective in preying upon the L 3 of L. douglassii (P < 0.05), compared with the control group. However, there was no difference in predatory capacity between the fungi tested (P > 0.05) during the seven days of experimental testing. In comparison with the control, without fungus, there were significant decreases (P < 0.05) of 85.2% (AC001), 81.2% (CG722) and 89.2% (CG719) in the average numbers of L 3 of L. douglassii recovered from treatments with the isolates tested. In the present study, the three isolates of the predatory fungi D. flagrans (AC001 and CG722) and A. cladodes (CG719) were efficient at in vitro destruction of the L 3 of L. douglassii.Keywords: Nematophagous fungi, Duddingtonia flagrans, Arthrobotrys cladodes, Libyostrongylus douglassii, Struthio camelus. ResumoLibyostrongylus douglassii é um nematóide parasito gastrintestinal de avestruzes que pode causar até 50% de mortalidade em aves jovens. O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar a capacidade predatória de dois isolados de fungos predadores Duddingtonia flagrans (isolados AC001 e CG722) e um Arthrobotrys cladodes (CG719) sobre larvas infectantes (L 3 ) de L. douglassii em condições laboratoriais, em meio ágar-água 2%. Os resultados demonstraram que os fungos testados foram eficientes em predar as L 3 de L. douglassii (P < 0,05) em relação ao grupo controle. Contudo, não foi observada nenhuma diferença na capacidade predatória entre os fungos testados (P > 0,05) durante os sete dias do ensaio experimental. Em comparação ao controle, sem fungo, houve uma redução significativa (P < 0,05) de 85,2% (AC001); 81,2% (CG722) e 89,2% (C719) Research NoteISSN 0103-846X (impresso) / ISSN 1984/ ISSN -2961 Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet., Jaboticabal, v. 22, n. 1, p. 147-151, jan.-mar. 2013 Braga, F.R. et al.Rev. Bras. Parasitol. Vet.Ostriches (Struthio camelus) are poultry belonging to the ratite group. These birds present diurnal activity; they are reared in groups when young and for slaughter, and in couples or trios when used for reproduction (AICHINGER et al., 2007). The main breeds commercialized are African Black, Red Neck and Blue Neck. Among these, the one of greatest commercial importance is the African Black (S. camelus var. domesticus). Currently, the countries that are the greatest breeders of ostriches are: South Africa, Israel, Australia, Canada, United States, Italy, Spain, France and China (CARRER, 2004). In Brazil specifically, commercial rearing of ostriches is gaining greater economic importance due to the birds' good environmental adaptation and, in particular, the p...