Molecular identification ofFasciolaspp. (Digenea: Fasciolidae) in Egypt

Abstract

A total of 134 Egyptian liver flukes were collected from different definitive hosts (cattle, sheep, and buffaloes) to identify them via the use of PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of the first nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1). Specimens of F. hepatica from France, as well as F. gigantica from Cameroon were included in the study for comparison. PCR products of ITS1 were subjected for digestion by RsaI restriction enzyme and visualized on agarose gel. According to RFLP pattern, Egyptian flukes were allocated into two categories. The first was identical to that of French hepatica flukes to have a pattern of 360, 100, and 60 (bp) band size, whereas the second resembled to that of Cameroonian gigantica worms to have a profile of 360, 170, and 60 bp in size. Results of RFLP analysis were confirmed by sequence analysis of representative ITS1 amplicons. No hybrid forms were detected in the present study. Taken together, this study concluded that both species of Fasciola are present in Egypt, whereas the hybrid form may be not very common.

Molecular evidence shows that the liver fluke Fasciola gigantica is the predominant Fasciola species in ruminants from Pakistan

“…Infection with F. gigantica, on the other hand, is found more commonly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world (Mas-Coma et al, 2014). The presence of both F. gigantica and F. hepatica, and the existence of intermediate forms, has been reported in livestock from Iran(Rokni et al, 2010;Amor et al, 2011b), Egypt(Marcilla et al, 2002;Dar et al, 2012;El-Rahimy et al, 2012), Niger…”

Fascioliasis: An Ongoing Zoonotic Trematode Infection

“…Detection of eggs in patients' stool samples is still considered the most conclusive diagnosis at the clinical level [ 2 , 9 , 11 ]. New, improved coprologic antigen tests [ 65 ], serological and ELISA tests [ 52 , 66 ], radiological and imaging diagnostics [ 30 , 67 , 68 ], and highly specific molecular techniques [ 26 , 69 ] have been developed and are the current hallmark of sound and scientific studies in the field [ 1 , 70 ]. Detection of resistant strains, differentiation of the acute stages from chronic stages of infection, and identifying reinfections after treatment still remain a challenge at the clinical level.…”

A review on the molecular characterization of digenean parasites using molecular markers with special reference to ITS region

“…In this study Dar et al (2012) genetically characterized liver fl ukes from cattle, sheep and buffaloes from Egypt using ITS-1 with the help of PCR-RFLP technique. In all the samples from Egypt, 69.4 % and 30.6 % fl ukes were recognized as F. hepatica and F. gigantica, respectively and any intermediate species was not observed.…”