FINDING AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF FASCIOLA SPP. IN BUFFALOES IN THE CORRIENTES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA

SILVANA SCARCELLA; CAROLINA CERIANI; VALERIA DEBARBORA; JOSE D ALVAREZ; IRINA MARTINEZ; MIRNA CESPEDES

Congreso; 11th World Buffalo Congress; 2016

FINDING AND MOLECULAR IDENTIFICATION OF FASCIOLA SPP.IN BUFFALOES IN THE CORRIENTES PROVINCE, ARGENTINAIrinaMartinez1, MV; Silvana Scarcella2, Dra Anim Sci; ValeriaDebarbora3, Dra Biol; Mirna Cespedes1,Vet student; Carolina Ceriani2, Dra Biol; Jose D Alvarez1, MV. 1: Cathedraof Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, National University ofthe Northeast, Sargento Cabral 2139, Corrientes, Argentina, irinamartinez.vet@hotmail.com2:Center for VeterinaryResearch, Tandil (CIVETAN), CONICET, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Centre ofthe Province of Buenos Aires University, University Campus, Tandil, Argentina, silvanas@vet.unicen.edu.ar.3: Laboratory ofBiology of Parasites, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Land Surveying,University of the Northeast,Av. Libertad 5470, Corrientes, Argentina, deborva@hotmail.com SummaryIn Argentina the NEA region (North East Argentina)holds most of the buffalo heads. Buffalo breeding systems are principallyextensive, in natural grass with humid subtropical climate. Current productionsystems buffaloes placed in different environments of their own, this situationcauses loss of rusticity and infestation of parasites of cattle, with which itshares the natural and artificial systems grazing. Preferably evolution inaquatic environments, where the intermediate hosts thrives led the buffalo toinfestation by Fasciola. Traditionally,the identification of Fasciola spp. hasbeen based solely on traditional morphological approaches. However, due to thelimitations of these methods, molecular approaches have been developed andusedfor the identification of flukes andwill also prove useful in etiological studies of fasciolosis. The aim of thepresent work was identification of Fasciolaspp. affecting buffalos in Corrientes province. Flukes were recovered from the common bile ducts, confiscated by Flukes,and rinsed thoroughly with warm (37 °C) sterile saline solution to remove bileand/or adhering materials. Samples were preserved in ethanol 99 % at -20 °Cuntil their use.A single-step multiplexPCR   was used for testing with the DNAextracted from adult worms, producing amplicons of 1,031 bp for F. hepatica and615 bp for F. gigantica.Out of a total of 99 livers, 9 were seized by flukes in the abattoir, 5of them were processed in the laboratory and 332flukes were recovered, makingan average of 65 parasites per animal. Some random samples were taken, whichafter being classified as F. hepaticaby taxonomic characteristics. They were used for molecular studies. The PCRresults confirm that flukes are of the F.hepaticaspecies. Further work on this relevant area is requiredin order to understand Fasciola epidemiology and evolution as well as more effectivemeans of parasite control.