resistance, environmental and health risks and the potential effect to non‐target organisms.
In addition to the previously mentioned biological control agents, parasites could also be
controlled naturally through botanicals [ 163 – 167 ], photosensitizers [ 168 , 169 ], symbiotic [ 170 ],
organic [ 171 ] and short‐chain fatty acids [ 172 ]. Biological control approaches hold promise as
the most suitable alternative to the chemical pesticides and are now a core component of IPM.
A good number of promising BCAs including predators, parasites (parasitoids) and patho‐
gens (fungi, bacteria, viruses and virus‐like particles, protozoa and nematodes) have been
identified and proven to be efficacious against many parasites of medical, veterinary and agri‐
cultural importance, as highlighted in the chapter [ 25 , 49 , 85 ]. In the past, biological control
has been applied successfully to control parasites especially in the agricultural sector [ 120 ].
However, there are still many challenges in the implementation of biological control strate‐
gies including their potential effects on native biodiversity [ 133 – 135 ], the unwillingness to
ditch the chemical methods for BCAs by farmers [ 129 ] and challenges in the production and
distribution of the BCAs [ 136 ]. With the recent advances in biotechnology and the application
of most recent technologies such as nanotechnology [ 145 ] and microencapsulation [ 162 ], there
are many opportunities for the continued use and expanded role of natural enemies in biolog‐
ical control; newer BCAs are being identified and older ones are being genetically engineered
to make them more efficacious in their antagonism of parasites. There is, therefore, optimism
that in the future, biological control will develop to overcome many of the challenges, and
BCAs will become the mainstay for the control of parasites.
Abbreviations
Author details
Tebit Emmanuel Kwenti
Address all correspondence to: [email protected]
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
IPM Integrated pest management
BCA Biological control agent
USDA The US Department of Agriculture
Bt Bacillus thuringiensis
BV Baculovirus
GMO Genetically modified organism
PHSNs Porous hollow silica nanoparticles
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid
AgNPs Silver nanoparticles
BW Birth weight
Biological Control of Parasites
http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/6801245