Molecular Characterization of Fasciola hepatica in Sheep Based on DNA Sequences of Ribosomal ITS-1

Muslimah N Alsulami; Khalil Mohamed; Majed H Wakid; Rewaida Abdel-Gaber; Ashraf G Timsah; Wafa Abdullah I Al-Megrin; Adil Khan; Walaa A Elkholy; Khaled A A Abdelaal; Hatem A Elshabrawy; Asmaa M El-Kady

doi:10.2147/IDR.S421206

Molecular Characterization of Fasciola hepatica in Sheep Based on DNA Sequences of Ribosomal ITS-1

Infect Drug Resist. 2023 Oct 12:16:6661-6671. doi: 10.2147/IDR.S421206. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health and Health Informatics, Umm Al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Special Infectious Agents Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ Department of Zoology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Baha University, Al Baha, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Al-Azhar University, New Damietta City, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁹ Department of Zoology, Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan.
¹⁰ Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.
¹¹ EPCRS Excellence Center, Plant Pathology and Biotechnology Lab, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh, 33516, Egypt.
¹² Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Sam Houston State University, Conroe, TX, 77304, USA.
¹³ Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

Abstract

Introduction: World Health Organization (WHO) considers Fascioliasis as a neglected tropical disease that requires global efforts for disease control. Data from the genetic characterization of Fasciola population shed light on the spread of infections among animals which could help in the development of effective parasite control. The aim of the present work was to genetically characterize Fasciola adult worms isolated from sheep in Saudi Arabia by sequence analysis of ITS-1 region.

Methods: A total of 12,653 slaughtered sheep in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia were examined for the presence of Fasciola spp. adult worms. The ITS-1 region of all parasites was amplified and sequenced.

Results: Overall, 12 variants DNA sequences were obtained. The variance of isolates ranged from 0.00771 to 0.34405. BLAST search showed that all obtained sequences were Fasciola hepatica and had >99.3% similarity with F. hepatica isolates from Spain and USA (from different hosts other than sheep). Phylogenetic analysis showed that Fasciola isolates were closely related to isolates from different countries.

Discussion: The current study showed that F. hepatica was the only spp. isolated from sheep in Jeddah. Further studies from different localities in Saudi Arabia are needed to help in the development of disease control.

Keywords: Fasciola hepatica; characterization; genetic diversity; parasitic diseases; sheep.

Grants and funding

This research was supported by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project number (PNURSP2023R39), Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and by the Researchers Supporting Project number (RSP2023R25), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.