title: Echinococcus equinus and Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto from the United Kingdom: genetic diversity and haplotypic variation.
abstract: Cystic echinococcosis is endemic in Europe including the United Kingdom. However, information on the molecular epidemiology of Echinococcus spp. from the United Kingdom is limited. Echinococcus isolates from intermediate and definitive animal hosts as well as from human cystic echinococcosis cases were analysed to determine species and genotypes within these hosts. Echinococcus equinus was identified from horse hydatid isolates, cysts retrieved from captive UK mammals and copro-DNA of foxhounds and farm dogs. Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) was identified from hydatid cysts of sheep and cattle as well as in DNA extracted from farm dog and foxhound faecal samples, and from four human cystic echinococcosis isolates, including the first known molecular confirmation of E. granulosus s.s. infection in a Welsh sheep farmer. Low genetic variability for E. equinus from various hosts and from different geographical locations was detected using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (cox1), indicating the presence of a dominant haplotype (EQUK01). In contrast, greater haplotypic variation was observed for E. granulosus s.s. cox1 sequences. The haplotype network showed a star-shaped network with a centrally placed main haplotype (EgUK01) that had been reported from other world regions.
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: bboufana@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Belgees
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boufana
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Wai San
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lett
authors.affiliation: Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Samia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahmar
authors.affiliation: The University of Tripoli, P.O. Box 606, Tripoli, Libya.
authors.forename: Imad
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Buishi
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Bodell
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio di Parassitologia, Ospedale Didattico Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Varcasia
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Intituto Superiore di Sanità, viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casulli
authors.affiliation: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, United Kingdom; NIHR Funded Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Liverpool L69 7BE, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Beeching
authors.affiliation: Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, Liverpool L7 8XP, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Aintree University Hospital, Liverpool L9 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terlizzo
authors.affiliation: Molecular Parasitology Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4029, Australia.
authors.forename: Donald P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.affiliation: Cestode Zoonoses Research Group, School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, Manchester M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Craig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Echinococcus equinus; Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto; Genetic diversity; Haplotypes; United Kingdom