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The occurrence of Toxocara species in naturally infected broiler chickens revealed by molecular approaches

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 August 2016

M. Zibaei ,
S.M. Sadjjadi  and
S. Maraghi
M. Zibaei*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
S.M. Sadjjadi
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
S. Maraghi
Affiliation:
Institute of Health Research, Thalassemia and Hemoglabinopathy Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
*
*E-mail: zibaeim@sums.ac.ir
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Abstract

Consuming raw and undercooked meat is known to enhance the risk of human toxocariasis because Toxocara species have a wide range of paratenic hosts, including chickens. The aim of this study was to identify species of Toxocara in naturally infected broiler chickens using molecular approaches. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method was used for the differentiation of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati larvae recovered from tissues and organs, and identified by microscopic observations. Thirty-three 35- to 47-day-old broiler chickens were used for examination of Toxocara larvae. The duodenum, liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, skeletal muscles and brain of each chicken were examined using the pepsin method, and DNA from each tissue was extracted as the template for PCR assay. The findings revealed that 5 of 33 (15.2%) broiler chickens were infected with Toxocara larvae. Larvae were recovered from the liver (n = 19), duodenum (n = 8), skeletal muscles (n = 8) and brain (n = 2) of broiler chickens naturally infected with Toxocara spp. The results showed that the frequencies of the species in the chickens were T. canis larvae (n = 5, 83.3%) and T. cati larvae (n = 1, 16.7%). Our data from the present study demonstrated the importance of broiler chickens as a paratenic host for the parasite's life cycle in the environment. The implementation of DNA amplification as a routine diagnostic technique is a specific and alternative method for identification of Toxocara larvae, and allowed the observation of specific species under field conditions within the locations where broiler chickens are typically raised and exposed to Toxocara spp. eggs or larvae.

Type
Short Communications
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 91 , Issue 5 , September 2017 , pp. 633 - 636
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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