(YT001) supplementation for the control of and modulation of the immune response of sheep.

Studies aiming at the development and evaluation of alternative methods to minimise losses caused by the gastrointestinal nematode are extremely important. Such research is essential, given the high morbidity rates among sheep and the significant mortality rates of lambs, allied to the low efficacy of commercial products for the control of this parasite. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the (YT001 - YEASTECH) on the control of and its modulation of the immune response in experimentally infected sheep. Eighteen sheep were divided into two groups. Group 1, the control group, comprised animals infected with and supplemented with distilled water, while Group 2, the treated group, consisted of animals infected and supplemented with (400 million cfu/day of suspension for 49 days). The following parasitological parameters were evaluated: number of eggs per gram of faeces, number of infective larvae (L3) recovered per faecal culture, and parasitic load of the abomasum. The following immunological parameters were quantified: immunoglobulin (Ig)A in the mucous secretions and serum IgG; cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-10; number of eosinophils in the abomasal mucosa and groups of cells positive for the markers: MHCII, CD4CD25, CD5CD8, WC4, CD5CD4, CD8CD11b and CD5WC1 by whole blood flow cytometry. The results revealed a significant decrease (<0.05) in the number of larvae and significantly higher serum IgG levels (<0.05) in the group supplemented with . The supplemented animals showed significantly larger numbers of eosinophils (<0.05), as well as more cells positive for MHCII, CD4CD25, CD5CD8 than the control animals. This study confirmed the beneficial action of on the host immune response to , as evidenced mainly by the smaller number of L3 recovered from the faeces of sheep supplemented with .