Molecular identification of Baylisascaris melis (Gedoelst, 1920) from the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) and ascarids from other wild carnivores in Kazakhstan
Uakhit R. Smagulova A. Lider L. Shevtsov A. Berber A.A. Berber A.P. Bauer C. Kiyan V.
2024Frontiers Media SA
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
2024#11
Introduction: The presence of gastrointestinal nematodes, including zoonotic ascarids, in wild canids, felids and mustelids as definitive hosts in Central Asian countries has been documented in many studies based on traditional morphological methods. In contrast, relevant data for the badger are scarce. The aim of this study was the molecular identification of ascarid nematodes from five wild carnivore species in different regions of Kazakhstan. Methods: A total of 211 adult ascarids were collected from gray wolves (Canis lupus, 8 of 83 infected with 2–6 Toxascaris leonina), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes, 26 of 53, with 2–8 Toxascaris leonina), corsac foxes (Vulpes corsac, 6 of 11, 3–6 Toxascaris leonina), lynx (Lynx lynx, 2 of 3, with 2–5 Toxocara cati) and badgers (Meles meles, 2 of 4, with 2–7 Baylisascaris melis). Genomic DNA was extracted from the worms and ribosomal DNA, including the first and second internal transcribed spacer genes, was amplified by polymerase chain reaction using specific oligonucleotide primers and then sequenced. Results: Toxascaris leonina, but not Toxocara canis, was molecularly identified in the wild canids, Toxocara cati in the lynx and Baylisascaris melis in the badger. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree showed three distinct clades: the canid Toxascaris leonina was placed in one clade, Toxocara cati in another and Baylisascaris melis in a third. Discussion: The study provides the world’s first molecular data and phylogenetic analysis of Baylisascaris melis, identified for the second time since its description over 100 years ago. This species was shown to be genetically distinct from other Baylisascaris spp. (B. columnaris, B. procyonis, B. transfuga, B. devosi). The possible zoonotic significance of ascarids from wild carnivores is discussed in the light of conditions in Central Asia. Copyright
Baylisascaris melis , Kazakhstan , molecular identification , mustelids , phylogeny , Toxascaris leonina , Toxocara cati , wild carnivores
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Laboratory of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, National Center for Biotechnology, Astana, Kazakhstan
Laboratory of Parasitology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Consortium of Hunting, Tourist and Fishing Farms Adal Zher, Temirtau, Kazakhstan
Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
Laboratory of Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
Laboratory of Parasitology
Consortium of Hunting
Institute of Parasitology
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