title: Molecular Evidence ofTrichobilharziaSpecies (Digenea: Schistosomatidae) in the Snails ofLymnaea auriculariafrom Urmia Suburb, North West Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study was carried out to detect the infection of larval stages ofTrichobilharziaspecies in the snailLymnaea auriculariain northwestern Iran based on DNA analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total number of 320 snails ofL. auriculariawere sampled from four water-bodies located in the suburb of Urmia City, North West Iran, during May to November 2011. The snails were first microscopically inspected for the infection with larval stages of trematodes. Genomic DNA was extracted from the snails and PCR was performed to amplify a fragment of the ribosomal DNA ofTrichobilharziaspecies in the infected snails.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Microscopic examinations indicated that 11.25% (36 out of 320) of the snails were infected with larval stages of trematodes, while the PCR patterns showed a much higher infection rate (31.25%, 100/320). According to the PCR, the infections were caused by the larval stages ofT. szidati(21.56%, 69/320) andT. franki(9.69%, 31/320) or both of them (8.44%, 27/320). The infected snails were observed in three out of the four studied sites. The highest infection rate in a single site was 50% (25/50). Only 7.81% (25 out of 320) of the infected snails were from the plain areas, while the remaining was from high altitudes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study contribute the utility of the employed technique for quick and accurate detection of the infection with trichobilharzian species in their intermediate host snails, which may have potential zoonotic role in the region.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pathobiology, Parasitology Division, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nazlu Campus, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yakhchali
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Nazlu Campus, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Asaad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosseinpanahi
authors.affiliation: Artemia and Aquatic Animals Research Institute, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekzadeh-Viayeh
keywords: Avian schistosomes; Lymnaeidae; PCR; Ribosomal DNA