"Molecular identification and phylogenetic analysis of isolated helminth Dirofilaria repens"

Abstract

Phylogenetics, which is a subfield of evolutionary biology, in combination with bioinformatics is currently considered to be the most reliable tool for accurate molecular identification of parasites causing human or animal diseases.

An extensive synopsis of the most typical methodologies and problems encountered is presented, together with a phylogenetic tree building process description. Additionally, the molecular identification of a nematode helminth surgically removed from a human eye and microscopically being identified as Dirofilaria spp. was performed. The molecular identification was based on the comparison of the 12S rRNA (MK192091), 18S rRNA (MK192092, MK192093) and COI (MK210632) sequences of this helminth with the respective sequences of other organisms using the MEGA-X software package and the proper database provided by NCBI. The 12S rRNA and 18S rRNA parasite of interest sequences proved to be identical (100% similarity), while its COI sequence was 99% similar to Dirofilaria repens sequences from Italy (KX265072, AB973229 and AB973225 respectively). These findings resulted to its identification as nematode of the species Dirofilaria repens.

PERTSALIS Athanasios