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Anthelmintic Treatment Reveals Sex-Dependent Worm-Gut Microbiota Interactions
Kate A Sabey1, Avina Castro2, Se Jin Song3
1Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA.
Parasite Immunology
|December 21, 2024
Summary
Host sex influences how gastrointestinal helminths affect gut microbes. Anthelmintic treatment revealed sex-specific impacts on microbiota, potentially linked to diet changes in female gazelles.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Parasitology
- Microbiome Research
- Wildlife Ecology
Background:
- Gastrointestinal helminths and gut microbiota interactions are complex and inconsistent.
- Host sex is a potential factor influencing parasite-microbiota dynamics due to sex-specific behavioral changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of host sex in shaping gut microbiota responses to gastrointestinal helminths.
- To examine sex-specific effects of anthelmintic treatment on microbiota structure and function in wild Grant's gazelles.
Main Methods:
- An anthelmintic treatment experiment was conducted on wild Grant's gazelles (Nanger granti).
- Microbiota structure and diversity were analyzed at different time points post-treatment.
- Feeding behavior was monitored to assess diet-related changes.
Main Results:
- Anthelmintic treatment caused short-term microbiota shifts in males (40-70 days).
- Females exhibited longer-term microbiota alterations (approx. 500 days), linked to increased feeding time post-treatment.
- Deworming eliminated diet-microbiota associations in females, promoting microbial stability.
Conclusions:
- Host sex significantly modulates the impact of helminths on gut microbiota composition and function.
- Sex-specific dietary shifts, triggered by parasite removal, are a key mechanism in helminth-microbiota interactions.
- Incorporating host traits like sex is crucial for understanding parasite-microbiota dynamics.
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