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  • I — Coévolution Hôtes Pathogènes: Caractérisation et Gestion de la Diversité Génétique des deux Partenaires / Co-Evolution Hosts Pathogens: Characterization and Management of Genetic Diversity of Both Partners
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Life-trait evolution of a parasite strongyle nematode in response to host resistance: an experimental approach using Haemonchus contortus in black belly lambs

Évolution des traits de vie des strongles gastro-intestinaux en réponse à la résistance de l’hôte: essai d’une approche expérimental sur un modèle Haemonchus contortus — agneaux “Black Belly”

Genetics Selection Evolution volume 33, Article number: S25 (2001) Cite this article

Abstract

The selection of resistant sheep in farms could increase the selective pressure during the parasitic phase and this might affect life-traits of the parasite nematodes. Before selecting for host resistance, it is crucial to estimate the potential adaptation of these nematodes to resistant hosts. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of the nematode parasite, Haemonchus contortus, to adapt its life-traits to different resistance states of sheep. The isolates of the nematode Haemonchus contortus were obtained from five locations in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) and a synthetic strain was prepared, which was representative of these isolates on the basis of isoenzymes and morphometric traits. This synthetic strain was reproduced during 10 generations in hosts of marked different resistance status. Primary infected 6-to 8-months old Black Belly ewe lambs, a wellknown to be highly resistant breed to nematode parasites, were used as resistant host. The “susceptible” lambs were obtained by treating with long-acting corticoids to depress the resistance of lambs. The establishment rate of worms and their egg-laying capacities were highly reduced in resistant lambs compared with susceptible ones. It can be assumed that the experimental design of infection apparently mimicked well the differences observed between genotypically resistant and susceptible sheep. To assess the adaptation, resistant, susceptible and naive lambs were infected with the two H. contortus lines, previously reproduced in resistant or susceptible sheep. The hosts were genetically related lambs (monozygotic twin lambs, within-litter brothers) allocated in an experimental plan designed to enhanced the power of the experiment. The use of monozygotic twins did not prove as useful as expected for parasitologi-cal data. There was no significant difference between the life-traits of the two lines. H. contortus did not seem to adapt to the resistance status of the host. Therefore, it was considered that selection for resistant sheep was possible with a limited risk of adaptation of the nematode parasites, although long-term monitoring of nematode adaptation should be scheduled if host selection is planned.

Résumé

L’utilisation d’animaux plus résistants aux strongles gastro-intestinaux dans les nouvelles pratiques d’élevage peut constituer une pression de sélection significative induisant une adaptation des traits de vie des parasites. Il est donc nécessaire, avant d’intégrer le caractère de résistance dans des programmes de sélection, de s’assurer de l’absence d’adaptation du nématode. L’objectif de cette étude était de déterminer si Haemonchus contortus présentait la capacité d’adapter ses traits de vie à des ovins plus resistants. Un isolat synthétique d’Haemonchus contortus a été créé à partir d’isolats de cinq régions de Guadeloupe (French West Indies), en s’assurant de sa bonne representativité sur la base de caractères morphométriques et d’isoenzymes. Cet isolat a ete multiplié durant 10 générations chez des ovins à statut de résistance très différent. Des agnelles primo-infestées âgées de 6–8 mois, de génotype Black Belly connu pour sa resistance aux strongles gastro-intestinaux, ont été utilisées comme hôtes résistants. Des agnelles, immuno-déprimées par injections de corticoïdes retard ont été utilisées comme hôtes sensibles. Le taux d’installation et la production journalière d’SSufs des parasites ont été très fortement diminués par passage chez les hôtes résistants. L’adaptation des deux lignées d’H. contortus a été évaluée par infestation expérimentale de 60 agneaux des deux sexes, répartis en trois groupes: agneaux rendus résistants, agneaux naïfs et agneaux rendus sensibles. Ces animaux, dont neuf couples de jumeaux monozy-gotes, issus de parents génétiquement très proches (pleins frères issus de parents très apparentés, jumeaux monozygotes), ont été répartis dans les groupes afin de max-imiser la probabilitve de mettre en évidence des différences entre lignées. La variabilité entre jumeaux homozygotes n’a pas été significativement diminuée pour les variables parasitaires. Malgré la puissance du dispositif expérimental mis en place, aucune différence dans les traits de vie des deux lignées d’H. contortus n’a pu étre mise en évidence. La sélection d’animaux résistants peut done être engagée sans risque important d’adaptation d’H. contortus dans un premier temps, dans l’attente d’une vérification plus approfondie sur le terrain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut national de la recherche agronomique, Unité de recherches zootechniques, 97170, Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe, France

    Maité Saulai, Nathalie Mandonnet & Gilles Aumont

  2. Institut national de la recherche agronomique, Station de pathologie aviaire et de parasitologic, 37380, Nouzilly, France

    Maité Saulai, Jacques Cabaret, Gérard Hostache & Gilles Aumont

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  1. Maité Saulai
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  2. Jacques Cabaret
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  3. Gérard Hostache
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Saulai, M., Cabaret, J., Hostache, G. et al. Life-trait evolution of a parasite strongyle nematode in response to host resistance: an experimental approach using Haemonchus contortus in black belly lambs. Genet Sel Evol 33 (Suppl 1), S25 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03500871

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Genetics Selection Evolution

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