Research note

Molecular identification of Fasciola spp. (Digenea: Platyhelminthes) in cattle from Vietnam

Identification moléculaire de Fasciola spp. Du Vietnam

¹ Laboratory of Sustainable Environmental Biology, Field Centre studies, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, 232-3 Yomogida, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
² Department of Parasitology, Central Viet Nam Veterinary Institute, km4 Dong De Street, Nha Trang, Viet Nam
³ Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kafr El Sheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh 33516, Egypt
⁴ Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Agriculture, Iwate University, Ueda 3-18-8, Morioka 020-8550, Japan

^* Correspondence: Yutaka Nakai. E-mail: nakai@bios.tohoku.ac.jp

Received: 28 September 2010
Accepted: 17 October 2011

Abstract

Fasciola spp. were collected from naturally infected cattle at a local abattoir of Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam, for morphological and genetic investigations. Microscopic examination detected no sperm cells in the seminal vesicles, suggesting a parthenogenetic reproduction of the flukes. Analyses of sequences from the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of the ribosomal RNA revealed that 13 out of 16 isolates were of Fasciola gigantica type, whereas three isolates presented a hybrid sequence from F. gigantica and Fasciola hepatica. Interestingly, all the mitochondrial sequences (partial COI and NDI) were of F. gigantica type, suggesting that the maternal lineage of the hybrid form is from F. gigantica. No intra-sequence variation was detected.

Résumé

Des individus de Fasciola spp. provenant d’animaux infectés d’un abattoir local de la province de Khanh Hoa (centre du Vietnam) ont été analysés morphologiquement et génétiquement. L’examen des individus au microscope n’a pas montré la présence de sperme dans les vésicules séminales, suggérant l’existence d’une reproduction parthénogénétique. L’analyse des séquences nucléaires ITS1 et ITS2 indique que 13 des 16 isolats correspondent à Fasciola gigantica et que les trois autres isolats seraient des hybrides entre F. gigantica et Fasciola hepatica. L’analyse des séquences mitochondriales COI et NDI de type F. gigantica suggère une origine F. gigantica de lignée maternelle des isolats hybrides. Aucune variation au sein des séquences pour les différents types n’a été détectée pour tous les marqueurs analysés.