title: Status and prospects of DNA barcoding in medically important parasites and vectors.
abstract: For over 10 years, DNA barcoding has been used to identify specimens and discern species. Its potential benefits in parasitology were recognized early, but its utility and uptake remain unclear. Here we review studies using DNA barcoding in parasites and vectors affecting humans and find that the technique is accurate (accords with author identifications based on morphology or other markers) in 94-95% of cases, although aspects of DNA barcoding (vouchering, marker implicated) have often been misunderstood. In a newly compiled checklist of parasites, vectors, and hazards, barcodes are available for 43% of all 1403 species and for more than half of 429 species of greater medical importance. This is encouraging coverage that would improve with an active campaign targeting parasites and vectors.
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Danielle A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Ondrejicka
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Canada N1G 2W1. Electronic address: salocke@uoguelph.ca.
authors.forename: Sean A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Locke
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morey
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Alex V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Borisenko
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, Canada N1G 2W1.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Hanner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D004199:Disease Vectors; D006801:Humans; D010271:Parasites / Q000235:genetics*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends
keywords: endoparasites and ectoparasites; neglected tropical disease; pathogens; species delineation; specimen identification; vectors