Fecal antibody levels as a noninvasive method for measuring immunity to gastrointestinal nematodes in ecological studies.

ABSTRACT: Among-individual variation in antibody-associated immunity to gastrointestinal nematode parasites (GIN) is known be associated with life-history traits and vital rates in wild vertebrate systems. To date, measurement of levels of antibodies against GIN antigens in natural populations has exclusively been based on invasive blood sampling techniques. Previous work in laboratory rodents and ruminant livestock suggests that antibody measures from feces may provide a viable noninvasive approach. We measured total and anti-GIN antibodies of different isotypes (immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA and IgE) from paired samples of plasma and feces from free-living Soay sheep of different ages and sexes. We tested the correlations among these measures as well as their associations with body mass and Strongyle

SUBMITTER: Watt KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4716500 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature