Identification of Echinococcus granulosus Strains in Isolated Hyda¬tid Cyst Specimens from Animals by PCR-RFLP Method in West Azerbaijan - Iran

The aim of this study was DNA extraction from protosco­lecses of Echinococcus granulosus and identification of these strains in West-Azerbai­jan Province, north western Iran. Thirty one livestock isolates from sheep and cattle were collected from abattoirs of the province. To investigate the genetic variation of the isolates, after DNA extraction by Glass beads-phenol chloroform method; PCR-RLFP analysis of rDNA-ITS1 was performed using three different restric­tion enzymes of Taq 1, Rsa 1 and Alu 1. Amplified PCR products for all isolates were 1000bp band which is expected band in sheep strains (G1-G3 complex). The results of RFLP analy­sis also were the same for all isolates. PCR-RFLP patterns restriction en­zymes were identical as follows, Rsa1 bands under UV showed two bands approximately 655bp and 345bp. Alu1 bands were as follows: two approx­imately 800bp and 200bp and Taq1 did not cut any region and bands were approximately 1000 bp in all samples. Based on PCR-RFLP patterns of ITS1 fragment produced with endonucleases enzyme digestion in animal isolates, it can be concluded that a single strain of E. granulosus (sheep strain or G1-G3 complex) is domi­nant genotype in this province.