Genetic relationships between sheep, cattle and human Echinococcus infection in Tunisia.
Allozyme variation at seven polymorphic loci (GPI, EST, MDH, MPI, DIA, PEP, PGM) was studied to examine genetic variation within and between sheep, cattle and human populations of Echinococcus granulosus in Tunisia. A high degree of genetic similarity was shown between the cysts of the three host origins. Nevertheless, whereas, the ovine and human samples were highly similar, the cattle samples were slightly different genetically. We conclude that humans are mostly infected by parasites originating from sheep liver. The intense deficiency in heterozygotes was partly artefactual (Wahlund effect) and partly due to self-fertilisation.
Oudni
M
M
Laboratoire de Parasitologie-Mycologie, Code 99UR/08-05, Département de Biologie clinique B, Faculté de Pharmacie, 5000 Monastir, Tunisia. mimitos@gnet.tn
M'rad
S
S
Mekki
M
M
Belguith
M
M
Cabaret
J
J
Pratlong
F
F
Sayadi
T
T
Nouri
A
A
Mezhoud
H
H
Babba
H
H
Azaiez
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D004592:Electrophoresis, Starch Gel / Q000662:veterinary; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D014416:Tunisia
D015801:Helminth Proteins