Ostertagia ostertagi Genome Sequencing

The Genome Institute and collaborators are sequencing the bovine stomach worm, Ostertagia ostertagi. This is the most economically important parasite of cattle throughout temperate regions of the world. Globally, these small reddish brown worms are the major cause of parasitic gastritis (Ostertagiosis) of ruminants. The worms embed themselves in the lining of the cow''s fourth stomach causing decreased acid production, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weight loss and even death. O.ostertagi infections can prompt protective immunity to ostertagiosis, making the species a good candidate for vaccine development. Having a whole genome sequence for the species could also help with the development of novel methods to control these parasites in livestock, including defining the mechanisms underlying drug susceptibility and resistance with the possibility of extending the useful life of existing drugs and improving diagnostics in this area, as well as providing the means to study the host-parasite interaction in whole animals.