Parasitologia · Published 2026-06-17 · DOI 10.3390/parasitologia6030033
Débora Castro Toledo De Souza, Lara De Nadai Rodrigues Bezerra, Dyesse Pollyane Ferreira, Adriane Toledo Batista da Silva, Amanda do Carmo Alves, Ana Carolina Silva, Carolina Magri Ferraz, Jackson Victor de Araújo, Fabio Ribeiro Braga, Filippe Elias de Freitas Soares
Monieziosis presents a considerable challenge to livestock farming, mainly due to the parasite’s resistance to common anthelmintics, prompting the need for alternative control strategies. This study examined the in vitro effect of two enzymatic sources (plant and fungal) on the structural integrity of <i>Moniezia expansa</i> eggs, aiming to find new environmental management solutions. The plant enzyme papain was tested at various concentrations and time points, while the fungal enzyme was produced through solid-state fermentation using <i>Duddingtonia flagrans</i> (AC001), resulting in an active crude enzymatic extract (ACEE). Papain at 10% <i>w</i>/<i>v</i> showed nonlinear degradation (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.998), achieving 95% egg reduction after 48 h. The fungal extract ACEE (71.2 U mL<sup>−1</sup>) caused a 60% reduction after 72 h. Morphological studies indicated significant eggshell damage following both treatments. A compatibility assay showed an antagonistic interaction, with enzyme activity decreasing by 83.83% within 48 h, likely due to cross-proteolysis. Although each agent is effective individually, combining them is not feasible. This is the first study documenting the activity of ACEE and papain against <i>M. expansa</i> eggs, and it recommends using them separately or sequentially for effective parasite control.
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Souza, D., Bezerra, L., Ferreira, D., et al. (2026). Comparative Ovicidal Efficacy of Fungal and Plant Proteases on Moniezia expansa (Anoplocephalidae). Parasitologia. https://doi.org/10.3390/parasitologia6030033