title: Phylogeny of seven Bulinus species originating from endemic areas in three African countries, in relation to the human blood fluke Schistosoma haematobium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Snails species belonging to the genus Bulinus (Planorbidae) serve as intermediate host for flukes belonging to the genus Schistosoma (Digenea, Platyhelminthes). Despite its importance in the transmission of these parasites, the evolutionary history of this genus is still obscure. In the present study, we used the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene, and the nuclear ribosomal ITS, 18S and 28S genes to investigate the haplotype diversity and phylogeny of seven Bulinus species originating from three endemic countries in Africa (Cameroon, Senegal and Egypt).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cox1 region showed much more variation than the ribosomal markers within Bulinus sequences. High levels of genetic diversity were detected at all loci in the seven studied species, with clear segregation between individuals and appearance of different haplotypes, even within same species from the same locality. Sequences clustered into two lineages; (A) groups Bulinus truncatus, B. tropicus, B. globosus and B. umbilicatus; while (B) groups B. forskalii, B. senegalensis and B. camerunensis. Interesting patterns emerge regarding schistosome susceptibility: Bulinus species with lower genetic diversity are predicted to have higher infection prevalence than those with greater diversity in host susceptibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results reported in this study are very important since a detailed understanding of the population genetic structure of Bulinus is essential to understand the epidemiology of many schistosome parasites.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Parasitology INSERM UMR 1094, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Docteur Raymond Marcland Street, 87025, Limoges, France. rima_zn@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rima
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zein-Eddine
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Parasitology INSERM UMR 1094, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Docteur Raymond Marcland Street, 87025, Limoges, France. ffnouboue@yahoo.fr.|Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Montagnes, P.B 208, Banganté, Cameroon. ffnouboue@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Félicité Flore
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Djuikwo-Teukeng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbiology, CNRS UMR 7276, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Docteur Raymond Marcland Street, 87025, Limoges, France. mustafa.aljawhari@hotmail.fr.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Jawhari
authors.affiliation: Institute of Research for Development, URMITE, UM63, CNRS 7278, IRD 198, International Campus of Han, IRD B.P, 1386, Dakar, Senegal. bruno.senghor@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Senghor
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg, 13, B-3080, Tervuren, Belgium. tine.huyse@africamuseum.be.
authors.forename: Tine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huyse
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroepidemiology and Tropical Parasitology INSERM UMR 1094, Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Docteur Raymond Marcland Street, 87025, Limoges, France. gilles.dreyfuss@unilim.fr.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dreyfuss
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002033:Bulinus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D002163:Cameroon; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D004534:Egypt; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000502:physiology*; D012675:Senegal
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal