A panel of microsatellite markers to discriminate and study interactions between Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei

• Main Author: Santos, Michelle C. [UNESP]
• Publication Date: 2017
• Other Authors: Redman, Elizabeth, Amarante, Mônica R.V. [UNESP], Gilleard, John S., Amarante, Alessandro F.T. [UNESP]
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Download full: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.07.011; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/169974
• topic: Gastrointestinal nematode; Haemonchus spp; Microsatellites; Molecular biology; Ruminant

Haemonchus contortus and Haemonchus placei are two closely related economically important parasites of ruminants. Their close morphological similarity, common occurrence as co-infections and ability to hybridize makes definitive diagnosis and epidemiological studies in field populations challenging. In this paper, we describe the development of a panel of microsatellite markers that can be used to discriminate and study the genetics of these two parasite species in co-infections and mixed field populations. We have identified two additional microsatellites (Hp52 and Hp53), in addition to three previously reported microsatellites (Hcms3561, Hcms53265 and Hcms36) that have a discrete set of alleles between the two species. Multilocus genotyping of worms with this 5 marker panel from 3 geographically diverse H. placei isolates and 4 geographically diverse H. contortus populations allows unambiguous species assignment of individual worms. This panel of markers should provide a valuable resource in studying the biology and epidemiology of these important ruminant parasite species in the field.