This Gut Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us. Or Is It? Helminth-Microbiota Interactions in Veterinary Species

Abstract

Gastrointestinal helminth parasites share their habitat with a myriad of other organisms, that is, the commensal microbiota. Increasing evidence, particularly in humans and rodent models of helminth infection, points towards a multitude of interactions occurring between parasites and the gut microbiota, with a profound impact on both host immunity and metabolic potential. Despite this information, the exploration of the effects that parasite infections exert on populations of commensal gut microbes of veterinary species is a field of research in its infancy. In this article, we summarise studies that have contributed to current knowledge of helminth-microbiota interactions in species of veterinary interest, and identify possible avenues for future research in this area, which could include the exploitation of such relationships to improve parasite control and delay or prevent the development of anthelmintic resistance.

Keywords: alpha diversity; alternative intervention methods; gastrointestinal parasites; gut microbiota; host–parasite interactions; veterinary species.