In vitro evaluation of the effect of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans, Monacrosporium sinense and Pochonia chlamydosporia on Schistosoma mansoni eggs

• DOI: 10.1007/s11274-008-9843-y
• Publication Date: 2008-08-25T08:21:04Z
• Authors: F. R. Braga; J. V. Araújo; A. K. Campos; A. R. Silva; J. M. Araujo; R. O. Carvalho; D. N. Corrêa; C. A. J. Pereira
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences

The in vitro effect of four isolates of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC 001), Monacrosporium sinense (SF 53) and Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC 1 and VC 4) on eggs of Schistosoma mansoni was examined. One thousand S. mansoni eggs were plated on 2% water–agar with the grown isolates and control without fungus. After 7, 14 and 21 days, the eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell, besides hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were found among the studied fungal isolates for ovicidal activity, confirming type 3 effect for the isolates VC 1 and VC 4, which characterizes the ovicidal activity of a fungus. Type 3 effect was only found for P. chlamydosporia (VC 1 and VC 4) with 26.6 and 17.2%, 25.6 and 22.6%, 27.4 and 23.9% in the 7, 14 and 21 days respectively (P < 0.01). P. chlamydosporia can thus be a potential biological control agent for S. mansoni eggs.