Sheep breed-specific response to environment challenge against Haemonchus contortus and effect on immuno-hematological parameters

Variable resistance to Haemonchus contortus infection and the associated immune mechanisms have been investigated and characterized in different sheep breeds adapted to tropical climates. In a recent study, we compared the local immune responses of the resistant Santa Inês with those of the susceptible White Dorper and Texel sheep breeds under chronic haemonchosis, and evaluated the correlations of immune-related transcripts and different parasitic stages and sexes. The aim of present study was to further elucidate the immune mechanisms among these sheep breeds by comparing local responses, microscopic lesions in the abomasum and hematological parameters in lambs raised under varying levels of parasitic challenge. The naturally resistant Santa Inês breed maintained similar phenotypic characteristics across different levels of parasitic infection loads, whereas White Dorper and Texel breeds exhibited increased susceptibility under moderate to high challenge. Texel lambs showed altered mean corpuscular volume, indicative of macrocytic anemia, and also displayed the lowest resistance under low challenge conditions. Significantly higher levels of eosinophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in peripheral blood, along with increased expression of Galectin-11 gene in the abomasum, were observed in Santa Inês sheep compared to the other breeds. These responses may represent key host mechanisms contributing to improved control of infection. Overall, our findings demonstrate that resistance to H. contortus infection is breed-dependent and modulated by environmental parasite challenge, providing insights that may forward to the targeted strategies for sheep flock management.