Nematicidal and ovicidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis against the zoonotic nematode Ancylostoma caninum

Abstract

Ancylostoma caninum is a gastrointestinal parasite that affect dogs and humans, considered a worldwide public health problem. The control of these parasitosis is increasingly difficult due to the development of multi-drug resistance. Bacillus thuringiensis is an insecticidal, spore forming bacterium, often species specific. The strain GP526 of B. thuringiensis has toxic effect on the cestode Dipylidium caninum and the trematode Centrocestus formosanus, both of them zoonotic parasites. The high degrees of specificity and environment safe make B. thuringiensis suitable for use against pathogen parasites, especially those resistant to synthetic chemical insecticides. The objective of the current work was to evaluate the in vitro effect of B. thuringiensis on Ancylostoma caninum. Spore-crystal mixture of the strains was co-incubated with 120 adult nematodes (males, non-pregnant females and pregnant females) or with 4800 eggs. GP526 showed a nematicidal effect with an LT50 of 35.8 h and an LC50 of 60 μg/ml. It also showed an ovicidal effect with an LC50 of 94.9 μg/ml. Histological analyses showed detachment of the cuticle and of the uterus in adult females, and vacuolization with destruction of the eggs. The effects of GP526 strain were comparable to those of albendazole, allowing us to propose GP526 for A. caninum control, in both, the adult stage at a gastrointestinal level, and in egg stage in the environment. In addition, GP526 can be proposed as a potential broad spectrum antiparasitic drug.