title: Applicability of molecular markers to determine parasitic infection origins in the animal trade: a case study from Sarcoptes mites in wildebeest.
abstract: The development of non-manipulative molecular tools to determine the origin of parasite infections in the animal trade (if infected before their export or import) is of great interest worldwide for both the animal trade industry and for animal welfare. Molecular tools have a wide range of applications, including forensic identification, wildlife preservation and conservation, veterinary public health protection, and food safety. Nonetheless, genetic markers were not reported to detect the source of infection in the animal trade. In this study we tested the applicability of molecular tools to detect the origin of Sarcoptes mite infection of wildebeest imported by the United Arab Emirate (UAE) from Tanzania. Using one multiplex of seven microsatellite markers and control samples from UAE, Kenya and Italy, we demonstrated the usefulness of the multiplex STR-typing as a molecular tool of pivotal interest to help commercialist, authorities, and conservationists, to identify the geographical origin of parasitic infections.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland. samer@ebd.csic.es
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alasaad
authors.forename: Rolf K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Schuster
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gakuya
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Theneyan
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Jowers
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maione
authors.forename: Annarita Molinar
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Ramón C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Soriguer
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003132:Commerce; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D044707:Forensic Sciences / Q000379:methods*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D060885:Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012418:Ruminants / Q000469:parasitology*; D012520:Sarcoptes scabiei / Q000235:genetics*; D012532:Scabies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D013636:Tanzania; D014479:United Arab Emirates
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007559:Ivermectin; D004247:DNA