Comparison of mitochondrial cox1 gene in Fascioloides magna from different host species

Abstract

Large American liver fluke (Fascioloides magna) was introduced to Europe at least twice, via invaded North American deer species. These imports resulted in formation of three permanent foci of fascioloidosis - Italian, Czech and Danube floodplain forests. Molecular analysis revealed that flukes in Italian foci represent separate genetic group, and that flukes from Czech and Danube foci are genetically identical. Since previous studies of genetic structure of F. magna from Croatia were based on samples collected from red deer in one limited area (Baranja), the aim of this study was to analyse genetic diversity of 111 fluke samples collected from various hosts (red, roe and fallow deer, wild boar) and geographic locations in Croatia. On 355 base pair long cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 sequence, three haplotypes were identified - previously published CO1-Ha3 and CO1-Ha4, and one new haplotype named CO1-Ha36. Results obtained in our study confirmed as expected, that F. magna in Croatia has a Danube origin and that haplotypes are shared among different final host species.