Vagal and splanchnic afferent nerves are not essential for anorexia associated with abomasal parasitism in sheep

Fox, M.T., Reynolds, G.W., Scott, I., Simcock, D.C., and Simpson, H.V. (2006) Vagal and splanchnic afferent nerves are not essential for anorexia associated with abomasal parasitism in sheep. Veterinary Parasitology, 135 (3-4). pp. 287-295.

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Abstract

Heavy burdens of the abomasal nematode, Ostertagia (Telodorsagia) circumcincta, in growing lambs result in a reduction in liveweight gain due largely to a drop in voluntary feed intake. The present study investigated: (1) the role of subdiaphragmatic vagal and non-vagal visceral afferent nerves in mediating a reduction in voluntary feed intake, using subdiaphragmatic vagal deafferentation (vagotomy) either alone or in combination with coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglionectomy (vagotomy and sympathectomy); and (2) the association between appetite, abomasal pH, selected blood values (amidated gastrin (G-17-amide), glycine-extended gastrin (G-17-Gly), pepsinogen and leptin) and worm burden, in sheep experimentally infected with 100 000 O. circumcincta infective larvae per os. Neither vagotomy alone nor vagotomy and sympathectomy in combination adversely affected the establishment or course of development of the parasite burden, when compared with a control group subject to sham surgery. Furthermore, neither surgical procedure prevented the drop in appetite seen 5–10 days post-infection, although combined vagotomy and sympathectomy did reduce voluntary feed intake prior to the start of the study. Ostertagia infection resulted in a significant increase in abomasal pH in all three groups, which was accompanied by an increase in blood G-17-amide and in G-17-Gly, the latter reported for the first time in parasitized ruminants. There were no significant differences in blood leptin, also reported for the first time in parasitized sheep, either between groups or in comparison with pre-infection levels, though weak negative correlations were established between blood leptin and appetite from day 5 to the end of the study in all three groups and a positive correlation with blood G-17-amide in the control group over the same period. These data suggest that neither intact subdiaphragmatic vagal afferent nerves or coeliac-superior mesenteric ganglion fibres, nor changes in circulating gastrin and leptin concentrations play a major role in mediating the hypophagic effects of O. circumcincta in parasitized sheep.

Item ID: 36378
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1873-2550
Keywords: appetite; gastrin; leptin; sheep-nematoda; sympathectomy; vagotomy
Funders: C. Alma Baker Trust, E. & C. Thoms Bequest
Date Deposited: 25 Sep 2015 00:57
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0606 Physiology > 060603 Animal Physiology Systems @ 50%
07 AGRICULTURAL AND VETERINARY SCIENCES > 0707 Veterinary Sciences > 070708 Veterinary Parasitology @ 50%
SEO Codes: 97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 50%
97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970107 Expanding Knowledge in the Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences @ 50%
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