From intestinal organoids to sustainable animal health—new ways to combat drug-resistant parasites in sheep, cattle, and horses
Project overview
Participants
More related research
Global goals
- 2. Zero hunger
- 3. Good health and well-being
- 12. Responsible consumption and production
Short summary
Using so-called “mini-intestines” in a laboratory setting, the very earliest stage of parasitic infections can be studied without animal testing. The projects are now developing new, sustainable strategies to combat drug-resistant parasites in sheep, cattle, and horses.
Background
Gastrointestinal parasites cause major health problems, suffering, and economic losses in grazing animals such as sheep, cattle, and horses. For a long time, parasite control has relied primarily on anthelmintics, but increasing resistance to these drugs is making treatments less and less effective. This threatens animal welfare, sustainable food production, and the future of animal husbandry.
To address these challenges, new strategies are needed that reduce reliance on drugs while improving our understanding of how parasites establish infections and affect the host animal’s immune system.
Aim
The projects aim to develop sustainable and innovative strategies for controlling parasitic infections in ruminants and horses. The focus is on the very first phase of the infection—when parasite larvae encounter the intestinal epithelium—since this phase is believed to be critical in determining whether the parasite succeeds in establishing itself or is eliminated.
Using advanced organoid models from sheep, cattle, and horses, researchers can study the interaction between parasites, host cells, and the immune system in a physiologically relevant laboratory environment. The projects also investigate how probiotic bacteria can strengthen the intestinal barrier and reduce the parasites’ ability to establish themselves.
Goals
The different goals is to:
- identify early biomarkers of parasitic infection,
- understand how parasites manipulate the host’s immune system,
- develop new therapeutic target molecules and treatment strategies,
- investigate the potential of probiotics as a complement to traditional deworming,
- reduce the use of antiparasitic drugs and slow the development of resistance.
The projects combine organoid technology, advanced microscopy, genetic analyses, and field studies to generate new knowledge that can be translated into practical solutions for veterinarians and pet owners.
In the long term, the results may contribute to improved animal welfare, sustainable food production, and a reduced environmental impact from the use of medications.
Collaborations
In addition to the participants from SLU, the project group also includes the following:
Published in connection with the project
The project started with: