Genetic relationships between sheep, cattle and human Echinococcus infection in Tunisia

• Published in: Veterinary parasitology Vol. 121; no. 1; pp. 95 - 103
• Main Authors: Oudni, M, M’rad, S, Mekki, M, Belguith, M, Cabaret, J, Pratlong, F, Sayadi, T, Nouri, A, Mezhoud, H, Babba, H, Azaiez, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 07.05.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adolescent; Alleles; Allozyme; allozymes; Animal biology; Animals; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - parasitology; Child; Child, Preschool; echinococcosis; Echinococcosis - parasitology; Echinococcosis - veterinary; Echinococcus - enzymology; Echinococcus - genetics; Echinococcus granulosus; Electrophoresis, Starch Gel - veterinary; gene frequency; genetic relationships; Genetic Variation; Helminth Proteins - genetics; heterozygosity; heterozygote deficiency; host strains; Humans; hydatids; Isoelectric focusing; Isoelectric Focusing - veterinary; Life Sciences; loci; polymorphic loci; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - parasitology; Starch gel electrophoresis; strain differences; Tunisia; Veterinary medicine and animal Health; Tunisia; Allozyme; Isoelectric focusing; Starch gel electrophoresis; Genetic variation; Tunisia; Echinococcus granulosus; TUNISIEAFRIQUE DU NORD
• ISSN: 0304-4017; 1873-2550
• DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2004.01.019

Allozyme variation at seven polymorphic loci (GPI, EST, MDH, MPI, DIA, PEP, PGM) was studied to examine genetic variation within and between sheep, cattle and human populations of Echinococcus granulosus in Tunisia. A high degree of genetic similarity was shown between the cysts of the three host origins. Nevertheless, whereas, the ovine and human samples were highly similar, the cattle samples were slightly different genetically. We conclude that humans are mostly infected by parasites originating from sheep liver. The intense deficiency in heterozygotes was partly artefactual (Wahlund effect) and partly due to self-fertilisation.