Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequence characterization of Fasciola Hepatica and Galba truncatula

Human fascioliasis is an important health problem in the province of Gilan, at the Caspian Sea, Iran. There is the overlapping of both fasciolid species, Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. Recent studies on both domestic animal and lymnaeid infection furnished evidence suggesting that F. gigantica and Radix gedrosiana may be the main fasciolid and lymnaeid involved in the disease in that province, controversy still being there concerning the presence and importance of F. hepatica and other lymnaeid species. The present paper includes the results of studies on Galba truncatula and the first finding of natural infection by F. hepatica in Gilan proved by molecular studies. Snail collections were carried out in summer, when their populations present the highest densities. Surveys on lymnaeids furnished the finding of a lymnaeid snail infected by trematode rediae and cercariae in the mountains of Talesh, in the Asalem district, western Gilan. Nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS-2 sequences proved that they were F. hepatica and G. truncatula. The liver fluke ITS-2 sequence was identical to that of F. hepatica from Spain and the Northern Bolivian Altiplano and that of G. truncatula to the haplotype H-2 known in Portugal, Spain, France and The Netherlands. This genetic characterization suggests that both may be also involved in human fascioliasis infection in Gilan

Study of cytogenetic biomarkers in human fascioliasis and triclabendazole treatment

The cytogenetic effect of triclabendazole, an anti-helminthic drug used for the treatment of human fascioliasis, was evaluated in the peripheral blood lymphocytes of 30 patients with Fasciola hepatica before and after treatment with the drug. The number of cells with chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges did not show any statistically significant differences in the patients, either before treatment when compared with the control or after triclabendazole therapy. Based on the results of the present study, data indicated that infection with Fasciola hepatica does not increase the chromosomal aberrations or sister chromatid exchanges and the genotoxic effect of triclabendazole indicated that the drug is not a mutagenic agent and could be used safely in therapeutic doses for the treatment of human fascioliasis