Echinococcus multilocularis genetic diversity based on isolates from pigs confirmed the characteristic haplotype distribution and the presence of the Asian-like haplotype in Central Europe

The aim of the study was to determine the genetic diversity of Echinococcus multilocularis in pigs in highly endemic areas in Poland, as well as to attempt to confirm the occurrence and geographical distribution of haplotypes characteristic for these areas, which were previously described on the basis of examination of adult tapeworms isolated from foxes.

Material and Methods

Twenty samples of E. multilocularis larval forms were obtained from pigs’ livers in four provinces of Poland. Genetic analyses were conducted on sequences of two mitochondrial genes: cox1 and nad2.

Results

Seven haplotypes were found for the cox1 gene (OQ874673–OQ874679) and four haplotypes for nad2 (OQ884981–OQ884984). They corresponded to the haplotypes described earlier in foxes in Poland (some of them differing only in one nucleotide). The analysis showed the presence of the Asian-like haplotype in both the cox1 and nad2 genes. The remaining haplotypes were grouped in the European clade. The geographical distribution of haplotypes identified in the pig samples was noticed to bear a similarity to the distribution of haplotypes previously isolated from foxes in the same regions.

Conclusion

The characteristic geographical distribution of E. multilocularis haplotypes in Central Europe (including the presence of the Asian-like haplotype) previously described in the population of definitive hosts (foxes) has now been confirmed by the analysis of samples from non-specific intermediate hosts (pigs).

Language:: English

Publication timeframe:: 4 times per year
Journal Subjects:: Life Sciences, Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Virology, Life Sciences, other, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine

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Echinococcus multilocularis genetic diversity based on isolates from pigs confirmed the characteristic haplotype distribution and the presence of the Asian-like haplotype in Central Europe

Jacek Karamon

Małgorzata Samorek-Pieróg

Ewa Bilska-Zając

Weronika Korpysa-Dzirba

Jacek Sroka

Aneta Bełcik

Jolanta Zdybel

Tomasz Cencek

Published Online: Dec 19, 2023

Page range: 567 - 574

Received: May 19, 2023

Accepted: Oct 04, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2023-0056

Keywordspigs, haplotypes, genetic diversity

© 2023 Jacek Karamon et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Introduction

Material and Methods

Results

Conclusion

Keywords
pigs, haplotypes, genetic diversity