Duddingtonia flagrans: Centrifugal flotation technique with magnesium sulphate for the quantification and qualification of chlamydospores in sheep faeces

• Published in: Experimental parasitology 2009-02, Vol.121 (2), p.187-188
• Main Authors: Silva, Aleksandro Schafer da, Zanette, Régis Adriel, Otto, Mateus Anderson, Soares, Cláudia Dal Molin, Alves, Sydney Hartz, Monteiro, Silvia Gonzalez, Santurio, Janio Morais
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: analytical methods; animal parasitic nematodes; Animals; Ascomycota - growth & development; Ascomycota - isolation & purification; Biological control; biological control agents; Centrifugation; Chlamydospores; Duddingtonia flagrans; feces; Feces - parasitology; Filtration; fungal anatomy; Magnesium Sulfate; Male; Nematoda; nematophagous fungi; qualitative analysis; quantitative analysis; Sheep; Spores, Fungal - growth & development; Spores, Fungal - isolation & purification; viability
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2008.10.005

Duddingtonia flagrans is a nematode-trapping fungus responsible for attacking larval stages of helminths in pasture, which has potential as a biological control method. The aim of this study was to test the magnesium sulphate centrifugal flotation technique for the quantification of D. flagrans chlamydospores in sheep faeces and to verify their morphological viability. In this experiment one sheep received an oral dose of 4.5 × 10 6 chlamydospores/day during 20 days. Fecal samples were collected between days 15 and 20 and analyzed by the centrifugal flotation technique with magnesium sulphate. Densities of 1.23, 1.27 and 1.31 g mL −1 recovered 1.45 × 10 5, 3.87 × 10 5 and 1.65 × 10 5 chlamydospores from the faeces, respectively. Based upon the results it was concluded that this is an efficient technique for the chlamydospores quantification in ovine faeces. Moreover, it allowed more accurate visualization of chlamydospore morphology.