Recently, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute and Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences jointly published a new study revealing that ivermectin (IVM) affects the resistance mechanism of Haemonchus contortus by inducing oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. The research was published in Veterinary Parasitology.

Background

Haemonchus contortus is a highly pathogenic gastrointestinal nematode that causes significant economic losses in livestock industries due to anemia, diarrhea, and weight loss in infected animals. Ivermectin, as an effective anthelmintic drug, has been widely used to control H. contortus. However, the overuse of IVM has led to the emergence of resistant strains, posing challenges for disease management.

Research Findings

The study demonstrated that ivermectin induces mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in sensitive strains, significantly increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and decreasing antioxidant enzyme activities, ultimately leading to cell apoptosis. In contrast, resistant strains were found to maintain mitochondrial function and antioxidant defenses, thus effectively resisting the effects of ivermectin. These findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying IVM resistance in H. contortus.

Funding and Contributions

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Inner Mongolia Natural Science Foundation Project, and the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program. Master's student Cuifang Gu and postdoctoral researcher Haoran Zhong were the co-first authors, with Associate Researcher Junyan Li from the Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences and Researcher Yamei Jin from SHVRI as the corresponding authors. Researcher Xingang Feng also participated in the work.

Link to the Original Article

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304401724002413?via%3Dihub