Esin Güven

First Molecular Characterization of Echinococcus multilocularis in Turkey.

This study aimed to find out the occurrence of Echinococcus multilocularis in foxes in Erzurum province, the highest endemic region for human alveolar echinococcosis in Turkey. The sedimentation and counting technique was used to reveal adult Echinococcus spp. in the intestines of foxes. One out of the 10 foxes was infected with E. multilocularis. The adult worms were analyzed morphologically and molecularly and were confirmed to be E. multilocularis by species-specific PCR. Pairwise comparisons between the 12S rRNA sequences of the E. multilocularis isolate from Erzurum and other E. multilocularis isolates showed 100% similarity of the Erzurum isolate with European isolates. With this study, the presence of E. multilocularis in a fox in Erzurum was confirmed by PCR, and molecular identification of E. multilocularis is reported for the first time in Turkey.

Prevalence and molecular characterization of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in jereed horses in Erzurum, Turkey

Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a hemoprotozoan tick-borne disease with worldwide distribution that is caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi. There are studies reporting the presence of equine piroplasmosis in Turkey but the situation in Erzurum is unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine the situation of equine piroplasmosis in jeered horses in Erzurum. Between April and August 2015, a total of 125 Arabian horse were examined and blood samples were collected. At the time of sampling, animals were also examined for tick infestations and clinical signs. Besides microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears, multiplex PCR performed with species specific primers partially amplifying the 18S rRNA gene of B. caballi and T. equi. During the microscopic examination of blood smears, T. equi piroplasms were found in 6 (4.8%) samples. In total, 11 (8.8%) T. equi DNA were detected with multiplex PCR. B. caballi piroplasms or DNA were not obtained. BLAST analysis of the sequenced T. equi samples (GenBank: KU921661–KU921667) indicated 98.8–100% identity to each other, and 100% similarity to T. equi isolates in South Africa, Iran, China, Sudan, India, Mongolia, Trinidad, Kenya, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey (Bursa). The results of our study indicate that T. equi occurs more frequently than B. caballi in the study area. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of the molecular detection of equine piroplasmosis in jeered horses in Erzurum, Turkey.

First detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in rodent intermediate hosts in Turkey

Echinococcus multilocularis is the causative agent of alveolar echinococcosis (AE), a potentially fatal zoonotic disease. Large parts of Turkey are considered as endemic for E. multilocularis. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of metacestode of E. multilocularis in wild rodents in Erzurum, an endemic region for human AE in Turkey. During the sampling period, a total of 498 rodents were trapped in twenty counties of Erzurum Province. Suspected lesions were observed on the livers of 48 rodents, and then partial fragment of mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene was PCR-amplified. Five liver samples exhibited E. multilocularis infection. The prevalence of E. multilocularis for Microtus spp. was 1·3%. All of the infected rodents had fertile metacestodes. Infected rodents were morphologically and molecularly analysed and were confirmed to be Microtus irani by the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence analysis. This is the first report of the presence of E. multilocularis in rodent intermediate hosts in Turkey. Our findings of infected M. irani with protoscoleces show that this rodent can act as suitable intermediate host for E. multilocularis life cycle in Turkey. However, there was a complete lack of data on the infection of carnivores from the country. An extensive survey is recommended to determine the prevalence of E. multilocularis in definitive hosts in this endemic region.

Molecular determination of Tritrichomonas spp. in aborted bovine foetuses in Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey

Tritrichomonas foetus is the causative agent of venereal trichomonosis in cattle causing infertility, pyometra and abortions. The objectives of this study were to determine the positivity rate of Tritrichomonas spp. in abomasal content of aborted foetuses from Eastern Anatolian Region of Turkey, using staining, culture and PCR methods and to present the isolates found in the region. A total of 246 abomasal content of aborted foetuses were tested and 14 of 246 (5.7%) were Tritrichomonas spp. positive only by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positivity was not attained by staining or culture method. Four of the positive samples in PCR were confirmed to be T. foetus by sequencing of the amplified 5.8S rRNA gene and flanking ITS regions. Nucleotide sequences of TR-Erzurum T. foetus isolates have been entered into the GenBank sequence database under accession numbers KC236423 through KC236426. This preliminary study suggests that future studies are needed on the systematic relationships and epidemiology of T. foetus isolates in the region.

Parasites Determined by Fecal Examination in Horses in Erzurum

OBJECTIVEnThis study aimed to determine the parasites present in horses belonging to the Erzurum Province.nnnMETHODSnFecal samples were collected from 76 horses of different ages, genders and breeds in Erzurum. Individual fecal samples were collected and examined by flotation and sedimentation methods.nnnRESULTSnThe following species were detected: strongylid egg (57.89%), Parascaris equorum (10.52%), Dicrocoelium dendriticum (2.63%), Fasciola spp. (2.63%) eggs, and Eimeria spp. oocysts (5.26%).nnnCONCLUSIONnEquine animals are significantly infected with Strongylosis in the Erzurum Province, and effective parasite control measures should initiated.