Prevalence and phylogeography of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes from goats of India

Abstract

The study determined the prevalence and genetic population structure relationships of Cysticercus tenuicollis (Taenia hydatigena metacestode) retrieved from the goats slaughtered in north India. An overall prevalence of 9.62% (59/613) was recorded. Genetic population structure relationships were assessed by targeting partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene sequence. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that all the present study representative isolates (n = 7) formed a major clade and grouped with T. hydatigena isolates retrieved from sheep, goats, pigs and dogs, originating from China, Iran, Nigeria, Ghana and Poland. However, a single isolate from Himachal Pradesh (isolate 3) formed a subgroup within the clade. The neutrality and diversity indices revealed high values of haplotype diversity [Hd = 0.99695 (0.95238–1.0000)] and low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.49276), which was indicative of demographic expansion and low gene flow, suggesting that Indian T. hydatigena isolates were not genetically differentiated. Tajima's D (−1.26988) and Fu and Li's D statistics values (−0.74556) were negative, demonstrating deviations from neutrality and both propounded recent population expansion or purifying selection. Results highlighted a low genetic diversity of T. hydatigena metacestodes across the geographical range of north India.

Visceral cysticercosis in a Kunekune sow: description and molecular identification of Taenia hydatigena

“…Less commonly, other ruminants, such as cattle or deer can also act as intermediate hosts ( Abbas et al ., 2021 ). Infection of intermediate hosts, by ingestion of taeniid eggs from contaminated pastures, has a great economic importance due to mortality of heavily infected animals and condemnation of infected organs (especially liver) and carcasses ( Moudgil et al ., 2022 ). Although T. hydatigena has been reported in hunting dogs in the US ( Wray et al ., 2022 ), little is known about the epidemiology of this cestode in the intermediate hosts.…”