Dataset Information

Evolutionary origins, diversification, and biogeography of liver flukes (Digenea, Fasciolidae).

ABSTRACT: Fasciolid flukes are among the largest and best known digenetic trematodes and have considerable historical and veterinary significance. Fasciola hepatica is commonly implicated in causing disease in humans. The origins, patterns of diversification, and biogeography of fasciolids are all poorly known. We have undertaken a molecular phylogenetic study using 28S, internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and mitochondrial nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) that included seven of the nine recognized species in the family. The fasciolids examined comprise a monophyletic group with the most basal species recovered from African elephants. We hypothesize fasciolids migrated from Africa to Eurasia, with secondary colonization of Africa. Fasciolids have been conservative in maintaining relatively large adult body size, but anatomical features of their digestive and reproductive systems are available. These flukes have been opportunistic, with respect to switching to new snail (planorbid to lymnaeid) and mammalian hosts and from intestinal to hepatic habitats within mammals.

SUBMITTER: Lotfy WM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2577557 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Evolutionary origins, diversification, and biogeography of liver flukes (Digenea, Fasciolidae).

Lotfy Wael M WM Brant Sara V SV DeJong Randy J RJ Le Thanh Hoa TH Demiaszkiewicz Aleksander A Rajapakse R P V Jayanthe RP Perera Vijitha B V P VB Laursen Jeff R JR Loker Eric S ES

The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 20080801 2

Fasciolid flukes are among the largest and best known digenetic trematodes and have considerable historical and veterinary significance. Fasciola hepatica is commonly implicated in causing disease in humans. The origins, patterns of diversification, and biogeography of fasciolids are all poorly known. We have undertaken a molecular phylogenetic study using 28S, internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, and mitochondrial nicotinamide dehydrogenase subunit 1 ( ...[more]

PMID: 18689632

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Project description:BACKGROUND:The Spirorchiidae is a family of blood flukes parasitizing turtles. Spirorchiids may cause a wide range of inflammatory reactions in the vascular system of their host being frequently implicated with stranding and death of sea turtles worldwide. Recent studies revealed the presence of two spirorchiid species in the Mediterranean basin. Our study presents comparative epidemiological data of spirorchiid infections in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded during an eight-year period from Adriatic and Tyrrhenian Seas, and the first report of Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in a green turtle (Chelonia mydas). METHODS:We screened a total of 319 carcasses of loggerhead turtles stranded from January 2011 to December 2018 along the Tyrrhenian coast (n = 111) and the north-western Adriatic coast (n = 208) of Italy using traditional (copromicroscopy and histopathology) and molecular assays. Three green turtles from the Tyrrhenian coast were also included in the study. RESULTS:A total of 56 (17.5%) loggerhead turtles and one green turtle (33.3%) were found to be infected with spirorchiid flukes. Amplification, sequencing of the ITS2 region of the ribosomal RNA gene cluster and BLAST analysis confirmed the presence of Hapalotrema mistroides and Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in 51 (16.0%) and 24 (7.5%) loggerhead turtles, respectively, and Neospirorchis Neogen-11 in an infected green turtle. Differences in prevalence of infection between the two sampling areas were found. CONCLUSIONS:The risk of spirorchiid infection in the Tyrrhenian Sea is lower than in the Adriatic Sea and in general the risk of infection in the Mediterranean is lower than in other geographical locations. Differences in the prevalence of infection between the two sampling areas were related to the differences of regional habitats supporting different abundance of spirorchiid intermediate hosts. A systematic monitoring to evaluate the progress of the infection is recommended, as well as studies on the occurrence and distribution of spirorchiid species from other Mediterranean areas.

Project description:BackgroundFasciolopsis buski is a zoonotic intestinal fluke infecting humans and pigs, but it has been seriously neglected. It is yet to know whether there is any genetic diversity among F. buski from different geographical locations, particularly in sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and mitochondrial (mt) DNA. Therefore, we determined the sequences of partial 18S, the complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and the complete mt genome of F. buski from China, compared the rDNA and mtDNA sequences with those of isolates from India and Vietnam, and assessed the phylogenetic relationships of this fluke and related fasciolid trematodes based on the mtDNA dataset.ResultsThe complete mt genome sequence of F. buski from China is 14,833 bp, with 36 genes, including 12 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes (rrnL and rrnS). The AT content of F. buski from China is 65.12%. The gene content and arrangement of the F. buski mt genome is similar to that of Fascioloides magna. Genetic distances between isolates of F. buski from China and India were high (28.2% in mtDNA, 13.2% in ITS-1 and 9.8% in ITS-2) and distinctly higher than the interspecific differences between Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. The rDNA and mtDNA datasets for F. buski from China (isolate from pigs) and Vietnam (isolates from humans) were identical. The intergeneric differences in amino acid and nucleotide sequences among the genera Fasciolopsis, Fascioloides and Fasciola ranged between 24.64-25.56% and 26.35-28.46%, respectively.ConclusionsOur results indicate that F. buski from China and India may represent distinct taxa, while F. buski in Vietnam and China represent the same species. These findings might have implications for the implementation of appropriate control strategies in different regions. Further studies are needed to decode mtDNA and rDNA sequences of F. buski from various geographical isolates for the better understanding of the species complex of F. buski.

Dataset Information

Evolutionary origins, diversification, and biogeography of liver flukes (Digenea, Fasciolidae).

Publications

Evolutionary origins, diversification, and biogeography of liver flukes (Digenea, Fasciolidae).

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