Prevalence and molecular studies on Echinococcus equinus isolated from necropsied donkeys

Abstract

In the present study, forty donkeys of different ages and sexes at Giza Zoo, Egypt were investigated between October 2015 and September 2016 for the presence of hydatidosis disease. Hydatid cysts were detected in the livers of 10% of the examined donkeys and these cysts had a fertility rate 100%. Female donkeys were infected with cysts more than males and all infected donkeys were old aged with no cases of infection were detected in young or adult donkeys. Using molecular tools, the DNA extracted from cysts that had been isolated was subjected to PCR amplification, using synthesized oligonucleotide primers, and these were constructed to target the 299 bp within the (ND2) gene, which is considered to be specific for the Echinococcus equinus genotype. The sequenced PCR products showed homology to E.equinus (G4 or horse strain genotype). These results can be used in future to pursue the epidemiological status of the causative strain of hydatidosis in equines at the study area.