Molecular Approaches to Control Intestinal Parasites That Affect The Microbiome in Swine and Small Ruminants

Objective 1. Determine the change in the intestinal metabolome and microbiome during parasitic nematode infection and after anti-parasitic clearance. Sub-objective #1. Characterize parasite-induced molecular mechanisms that modulate intestinal inflammation. Sub-objective #2. Evaluate the potential impact of Cry5B on the native and parasitized gut microbiome. Objective 2. Identify pan-nematode secretome products with immune modulating activity that along with nutritional supplements eliminate parasites and enhance enteric health. Sub-objective #1. Use antibodies from parasite infected pigs and goats to select for immunogenic cloned parasite products that have been computationally identified as vaccine targets. Sub-objective #2: Test for cloned parasite products that induce innate immune responses at the mucosal surface of explanted intestinal tissues from pigs and goats.