Molecular genetics analysis for co-infection of Brugia malayi and Brugia pahangi in cat reservoirs based on internal transcribed spacer region 1.

ABSTRACT

This study described the diagnosis of a mixed infection of Brugia malayi and Brugia pahangi in a single domestic cat using the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region. Following polymerase chain reaction amplification of the ITS1 region, the 580 bp amplicon was cloned, and 29 white colonies were randomly selected for DNA sequencing and phylogenetic tree construction. A DNA parsimony tree generated two groups of Brugia spp with one group containing 6 clones corresponding to B. pahangi and the other 23 clones corresponding to B. malayi. This indicated that mixed infection of the two Brugia spp, B. pahangi and B. malayi, had occurred in a single host.