An ovine lymphocyte antigen is associated with reduced faecal egg counts in four-month-old lambs following natural, predominantly Ostertagia circumcincta infection

Abstract

Ovine lymphocyte antigen is associated with reduced faecal egg counts in 4-month-old lambs following natural, predominantly Ostertagia circumcincta infection. International Journal for Parasitology 26: 423-428. Ten lymphocyte antigens were defined in a flock of Scottish Blackface sheep known to be naturally exposed to infection with Ostertagia circumcincta. Population and family studies suggested that the 10 antigens were products of class I loci. Antigen G13br was in linkage disequilibrium with allele g2 at the DRB1 locus. The g2 allele has previously been associated with reduced faecal egg counts in a different crop of lambs from the same farm. In this study antigen G13br was also associated with a reduction in faecal egg counts. The results provide partial confirmation of the role of the major histocompatibility complex in resistance to natural, predominantly O. circumcincta infection.