First genetic evidence for the presence of the rumen fluke Paramphistomum epiclitum in Pakistan

Abstract

More than 70 species of the Superfamily Paramphistomoidea, have been identified in ruminants in different parts of the world. Most are pathogenic, causing amphistomosis. Adult flukes within this family have a predilection for the forestomach (rumen) or bile duct of the liver, where they may cause epithelial damage. Identification of adult Paramphistomum, Calicophoron, Gastrothylax and Fischoederius at the species level based on morphology requires specialised expertise, whereas molecular genetic marker analysis is more precise and transferable. In the present study, we performed molecular characterisation of twenty seven adult flukes collected from the forestomachs of buffalo, cattle and goats in the Punjab province of Pakistan. PCR and sequencing of the ITS-2 rDNA region revealed a single haplotype in all cases. Phylogenetic comparison of P. epiclitum ITS2-rDNA sequences with those from other Paramphistomum, Calicophoron, Gastrothylax and Fischoederius species was performed to assess within and between species variation and validate the use of ITS-2 rDNA as a robust species-specific marker for P. epiclitum identification. This work provides a validated species-specific marker of P. epiclitum and the first report of this parasite species from Pakistan. The results of this study also have implications for the diagnosis and control of rumen flukes in the region and the need for accurate species identification to understand parasite distribution and population genetics.

Molecular Characterization of Paramphistomum cervi in Buffaloes

“…The results are contrary to the report where P. cervi was closely related to Paramphistoma leydeni [11]. The genetic evidence for the existence of some other trematodes including P. epiclitum, Gigantocotyle explanatum, Fasciola hepatica, and Fasciola gigantica in Pakistan have been previously reported using 18S rRNA markers [1,20,33]. However, for the first time the amplification of 18S rRNA in this study revealed a molecular based evidence for P. cervi in Pakistan.…”

“…The Paramphistomidae family comprises numerous species of Paramphistomes (commonly known as rumen fluke) trematodes infecting rumen and reticulum of ruminants globally [19,7]. More than seventy species of the superfamily Paramphistomoidea have been identified in different geographical regions [1]. Ruminant's paramphistomiasis (rumen fluke disease) are due to the pathogenic activities of Paramphistoma species of the genus Paramphistomum [32].…”

Prevalence and risk factors associated with amphistome parasites in cattle in Iran

“…The first location of the juvenile trematodes in the ruminant host is the small intestine where the parasites feed on the intestinal mucosa. Following further growth, the parasites migrate upwards to the reticulum and rumen where they spend the rest of their adult lives, shedding eggs that contaminate snail habitats (Ali et al, 2018; Dinnik & Dinnik, 1954; Soulsby, 1982). Amphistomosis is globally distributed, but the highest prevalence has been reported from tropical and sub‐tropical regions, particularly Africa, Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe and Russia (Dube & Aisien, 2010; Gupta, Singh, & Dutt, 1978; Horak, 1971; Huson et al., 2017).…”

Evaluation of anthelmintic drugs against egg development of rumen flukes recovered from cattle raised in the humid tropics of Mexico

“…The presence of rumen fluke infections in ruminants has been widely reported across several European countries such as the UK (Jones et al ., 2017), Ireland (Toolan et al ., 2015) and the Netherlands (Ploeger et al ., 2017), and on other continents such as Oceania (Cauquil et al ., 2016) and Asia (Ali et al ., 2018). In America, the presence of rumen flukes in ruminants has been reported in Peru (Pinedo et al ., 2010) and Mexico (Ojeda-Robertos et al ., 2014).…”