Background
Fascioloides magna (Trematoda: Fasciolidae) is an important liver parasite of a wide range of free-living and domestic ruminants; it represents a remarkable species due to its large spatial distribution, invasive character, and potential to colonize new territories. The present study provides patterns of population genetic structure and admixture in F. magna across all enzootic regions in North America and natural foci in Europe, and infers migratory routes of the parasite on both continents.MethodsIn total, 432 individuals from five North American enzootic regions and three European foci were analysed by 11 microsatellite loci. Genetic data were evaluated by several statistical approaches: (i) the population genetic structure of F. magna was inferred using program STRUCTURE; (ii) the genetic interrelationships between populations were analysed by PRINCIPAL COORDINATES ANALYSIS; and (iii) historical dispersal routes in North America and recent invasion routes in Europe were explored using MIGRATE.ResultsThe analysis of dispersal routes of the parasite in North America revealed west-east and south-north lineages that partially overlapped in the central part of the continent, where different host populations historically met. The exact origin of European populations of F. magna and their potential translocation routes were determined. Flukes from the first European focus, Italy, were related to F. magna from northern Pacific coast, while parasites from the Czech focus originated from south-eastern USA, particularly South Carolina. The Danube floodplain forests (third and still expanding focus) did not display relationship with any North American population; instead the Czech origin of the Danube population was indicated. A serial dilution of genetic diversity along the dispersion route across central and eastern Europe was observed. The results of microsatellite analyses were compared to previously acquired outputs from mitochondrial haplotype data and correlated with past human-directed translocations and natural migration of the final cervid hosts of F. magna.ConclusionsThe present study revealed a complex picture of the population genetic structure and interrelationships of North American and European populations, global distribution and migratory routes of F. magna and an origin of European foci.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1811-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
The European perch Perca
fluviatilis L. serves as a host of different endohelminths of Trematoda, Cestoda, Nematoda, and Acanthocephala. Its natural range covers freshwater basins throughout much of Europe, including the Danube. Since information about endohelminths of European perch from this international river basin has been rather sporadic, the parasitological examinations of 700 perch from the central region of the Danube river basin in Slovakia were performed in October 2017 and April 2018. The larval stages of Triaenophorus
nodulosus (Cestoda) were found in cysts located in the perch liver and adults of Proteocephalus
percae (Cestoda) were isolated from the intestine. The larval stages of Eustrongylides sp. (Nematoda) and metacercariae of Clinostomum
complanatum (Trematoda), both potential causative agents of fish-borne zoonoses, were found in the musculature. Spatial and seasonal differences in the occurrence of currently detected helminths were discussed with data on biological and environmental conditions of particular sampling site.
The veterinary important parasite of ruminants, giant liver fluke Fascioloides magna(Trematoda: Fasciolidae), isolated from liver of farmed fallow deer (Dama dama) from Podkarpackie Province (southeastern Poland) was genotypized by mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (cox1) and nicotinamide dehydrogenase (nad1) markers. The data on this newly emerged population were compared with mitochondrial haplotypes of recently detected Polish population of F. magna from Lower Silesian Wilderness (southwestern Poland) and with European populations of the parasite from all three natural foci; northern Italy, Czech Republic and the Danube floodplain forests. The flukes from Podkarpackie Province were found to be genetically identical with flukes from Czech Republic and Lower Silesian Wilderness in Poland. It is evident that central and southwestern Czech Republic, recognized as one of the endemic area of F. magna in Europe, has been enlarging and parasite has been invading several novel localities in Poland.
SummaryFascioloidosis of wild and domestic ruminants is caused by giant liver fl uke, Fascioloides magna (Trematoda; Fasciolidae). In Slovakia, the parasite is present in the Danube fl oodplain forests permanent focus for almost 30 years. Here we provide data on 11-year survey of F. magna acquired from 137 red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in the southwestern hunting grounds (districts Komárno and Dunajská Streda). Almost 47 % of all examined deer, including males, females and fawns, were infected with F. magna. During the studied period, the prevalence ranged between 33.3 % (2009) and 63.6 % (2007). Prevalence of fascioloidosis varied between sexes and age categories; while the lowest overall prevalence was detected in females (33.3 %), higher values were documented for red deer males (50.6 %) and fawns (43.3 %). A presence of giant liver fl uke in studied regions of southwestern Slovakia deserves future attention and ongoing monitoring due to a possible threat of F. magna infection of domestic ruminants in overlapping regions.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.