Gastrointestinal (GI) helminths are common parasites of humans, wildlife, and livestock, causing chronic infections. In humans and wildlife, poor nutrition or limited resources can compromise an individual's immune response, predisposing them to higher helminth burdens. This relationship has been tested in laboratory models by investigating infection outcomes following reductions of specific nutrients. However, much less is known about how diet supplementation can impact susceptibility to infection, acquisition of immunity, and drug efficacy in natural host–helminth systems. We experimentally supplemented the diet of wood mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) with high-quality nutrition and measured resistance to the common GI nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus. To test whether diet can enhance immunity to reinfection, we also administered anthelmintic treatment in both natural and captive populations. Supplemented wood mice were more resistant to H. polygyrus infection, cleared worms more efficiently after treatment, avoided a post-treatment infection rebound, produced stronger general and parasite-specific antibody responses, and maintained better body condition. In addition, when applied in conjunction with anthelmintic treatment, supplemented nutrition significantly reduced H. polygyrus transmission potential. These results show the rapid and extensive benefits of a well-balanced diet and have important implications for both disease control and wildlife health under changing environmental conditions.

中文翻译：

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补充营养可减少天然宿主-蠕虫系统中的蠕虫负担并提高药物疗效

胃肠道 (GI) 蠕虫是人类、野生动物和牲畜的常见寄生虫，可引起慢性感染。对于人类和野生动物来说，营养不良或资源有限可能会损害个体的免疫反应，使他们容易遭受更高的寄生虫负担。通过研究特定营养素减少后的感染结果，这种关系已在实验室模型中得到了测试。然而，关于饮食补充剂如何影响自然宿主-蠕虫系统的感染易感性、免疫力的获得和药物疗效，人们知之甚少。我们通过实验向木鼠（Apodemus sylvaticus）的饮食中添加优质营养，并测量了其对常见胃肠道线虫 Heligmosomoides polygyrus 的抵抗力。为了测试饮食是否可以增强对再次感染的免疫力，我们还在自然和圈养种群中进行了驱虫治疗。补充了补充剂的木鼠对H. Polygyrus感染有更强的抵抗力，治疗后更有效地清除蠕虫，避免治疗后感染反弹，产生更强的一般和寄生虫特异性抗体反应，并保持更好的身体状况。此外，当与驱虫治疗结合使用时，补充营养可显着降低多回幽门螺杆菌的传播潜力。这些结果显示了均衡饮食的快速和广泛的益处，并且对不断变化的环境条件下的疾病控制和野生动物健康具有重要影响。