The problem of gastrointestinal trichostrongylid parasitism
(GTP) in sheep production is well-known and has
∗ Corresponding author. Present address: Division of Animal and Nutritional
Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
E-mail address: scott.bowdridge@mail.wvu.edu (S.A. Bowdridge).
been intensely studied during adult worm infection. Regulating
impacts of parasitismonproductionmay be achieved
by selection for parasite resistance or incorporation of
breeds that possess parasite resistance (Vanimisetti et al.,
2004). Genetic linkage studies indicate that regions of
the genome associated with parasite resistance are those
involved in the immune response (Coltman et al., 2001).
Characterization of immune responses to GTP may therefore
lead to identification of candidate genetic markers that