Molecular Characterization and Chronobiology of Hypodermosis in Cattle Slaughtered in the Diyarbakir Province of Turkey

Abstract

Objective: The aim of present study was to investigate the chronobiology and identification of Hypoderma species in cattle slaughtered in the Diyarbakir Province of Turkey. Methods: In total, 736 hides and subcutaneous tissue of slaughtered cattle were examined for the presence of second-and third-instar larvae in the slaughterhouse between November 2012 and May 2013. Third-instar larvae were collected from the slaughterhouses, and gDNA isolates were examined by PCR-RFLP analysis of the cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene of mt-DNA using TaqI enzyme. Results: In total, 62 out of 736 cattle (8.42%) were found to be positive for Hypoderma larvae. A total of 328 (90 second-and 238 third-instar) Hypoderma larvae were detected in the hide and subcutaneous tissue of the back of infested cattle. All the 238 third-instar larvae (100%) were identified as H. bovis by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. The mean number of Hypoderma larvae in each cow was 5.29% (62/736). In the examined cattle, second-instar larvae were observed starting from the second week of January and subcutaneous nodules were found until the last week of April. Conclusion