Apparent dominance of the G1-G3 genetic cluster of Echinococcus granulosus strains in the central inland region of Portugal.
Infection by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus causes a disease known as cystic echinococcosis or hydatidosis, which is one of the most widespread zoonotic infections of veterinary and medical importance. Numerous studies have shown that E. granulosus exists as a complex of strains differing in a wide variety of criteria. Ten distinct genotypes (G1-G10) have been identified with a potential impact on the pathology, epidemiology and the effect of the measures implemented for the control of hydatidosis. Our main objective was to carry out a preliminary analysis of the genotypes of E. granulosus circulating in the central inland region of Portugal. Parasite samples (hydatid cysts, n=27) were isolated from the liver and lung of sheep and cattle. The DNA extracted from protoscoleces isolated from the fertile cysts served as a template for the PCR amplification of the part of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), ATP synthase F0 subunit 6 (atp6) as well as the large (rrnL/16S) and small (rrnS/12S) ribosomal RNA genes. Similarity searches with homologous sequences in the databanks indicated a very high similarity with references assigned to the G1, G3 and/or G1-G3 complex of Echinococcus strains. Phylogenetic analysis (Bayesian approach) supported these observations, and confirmed the assignment of all the analyzed sequences to the G1-G3 genetic cluster.
Beato
Sílvia
S
Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT)/Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Rua da Junqueira 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal. silvia.beato@ihmt.unl.pt
Parreira
Ricardo
R
Calado
Manuela
M
Grácio
Maria Amélia A
MA
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D018509:DNA, Helminth / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005838:Genotype; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology; D008168:Lung / Q000469:parasitology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000469:parasitology
D018509:DNA, Helminth; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial