Morphological and Molecular identification of some Species of liver fluke in Sulaymaniyah Slaughterhouse
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54174/977ka925Keywords:
Sheep. Fasciola species, Slaughter house, Molecular TechniqueAbstract
This study provides a molecular epidemiological profile of liver flukes infecting sheep in Sulaimani Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan. Between July 2024 and July 2025, a total of 211,940 sheep were examined at the Sulaimani Central Slaughterhouse and district/sub-district abattoirs in Saidsadq, Chamchamal, Sharazur, Kalar, Darbandikhan, Penjwen, Piramagrun, Axjalar, Halabja, and Dukan. The overall prevalence of fasciolosis was 5.52%, with significant seasonal variation: highest in spring (7.21%) and summer (6.55%), and lowest in autumn (4.57%) and winter (2.38%). Infected animals were predominantly males (76.8%), reflecting slaughterhouse demographics, while imported breeds accounted for most infections (77%) compared with local breeds (23%). Morphological examination indicated Fasciola hepatica as the predominant species (80%), followed by F. gigantica (12%) and F. magna (8%). Molecular analysis confirmed these findings with high levels of agreement, detecting F. hepatica in 94% of the tested samples, F. gigantica in 95%, and F. magna in 92%. By integrating morphological proportions with PCR confirmation rates. These results confirm Fasciola hepatica as the dominant species in the study area, alongside the validated presence of F. gigantica and F. magna. The study aims to determine the prevalence and seasonal distribution of fasciolosis in sheep at Sulaimani Central, and to identify and characterize the liver fluke species by an integrated morphological and molecular approach (ITS PCR-RFLP and mtDNA sequencing).
Downloads
References
Afshan, K., Fortes-Lima, C. A., Artigas, P., Valero, M. A., Panova, M., & Mas-Coma, S. (2014). Phenotypes of intermediate forms of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica in buffaloes from Central Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Helminthology, 88(4), 436–444. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X13000461
Albery, G. F., Becker, D. J., Kenyon, F., Nussey, D. H., & Pemberton, J. M. (2020). The fine‐scale landscape of immunity and parasitism in a wild ungulate population. Functional Ecology, 34(4), 994–1006. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13475
Alsulami, M. N., Mohamed, K., Wakid, M. H., Abdel-Gaber, R., Timsah, A. G., Al-Megrin, W. A. I., … El-Kady, A. M. (2023). Molecular characterization of Fasciola hepatica in sheep based on DNA sequences of ribosomal ITS-1. Infection and Drug Resistance, 16, 6661–6671. https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S421206
Andrews, S. J. (1999). The life cycle of Fasciola hepatica. Fasciolosis, 3, 1-29.Aftab, A., Raina, O., Maxton, A., & Masih, S. (2024). Advances in diagnostic approaches to Fasciola infection in animals and humans: An overview. Journal of Helminthology, 98, e12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X24000012
Ashoor, S. J., & Wakid, M. H. (2023). Prevalence and hepatic histopathological findings of fascioliasis in sheep slaughtered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Scientific Reports, 13, 6609. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33927-0
Caminade, C., Van-Dijk, J., Baylis, M., & Williams, D. (2015). Modelling recent and future climatic suitability for fasciolosis in Europe. Geospatial Health, 9(2), 301–308. https://doi.org/10.4081/gh.2015.355
Cuervo, P. F., Bargues, M. D., Artigas, P., Buchon, P., Angles, R., & Mas-Coma, S. (2024). Global warming induced spread of the highest human fascioliasis hyperendemic area. Parasites & Vectors, 17(1), 434. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-024-06493-3
Ebrahim Pour, M. H., Shemshadi, B., Bahrami, A., & Shirali, S. (2020). Molecular identification of Dicrocoelium dendriticum using 28S rDNA genomic marker and its histopathologic features in domestic animals in western Iran. Journal of Basic Research in Medical Sciences, 7(4), 43–52.
Flores-Velázquez, L. M., Ruiz-Campillo, M. T., Herrera-Torres, G., Martínez-Moreno, Á., Martínez-Moreno, F. J., Zafra, R., Buffoni, L., Rufino-Moya, P. J., Molina-Hernández, V., & Pérez, J. (2023). Fasciolosis: Pathogenesis, host-parasite interactions, and implications in vaccine development. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, 1270064. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1270064
Hajialilo, E., Hosseini-Safa, A., Spotin, A., Saraei, M., Johkool, M. G., Piri, H., & Heydarian, P. (2023). Rapid detection and identification of Fasciola spp. and Dicrocoelium spp. isolated from ruminant livestock of northwest Iran using high-resolution melting analysis (HRM). Iranian Journal of Public Health, 52(4), 818–826.
Hammami, I., Amdouni, Y., Romdhane, R., Sassi, L., & Gharbi, M. (2024). Prevalence of Fasciola hepatica infection in slaughtered sheep from Northwest Tunisia and its risk factors. Livestock Science, 275, 105813. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2024.105813
Haridwal, S., Malatji, M. P., & Mukaratirwa, S. (2021). Morphological and molecular characterization of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica phenotypes from co-endemic localities in South Africa. Food and Waterborne Parasitology, 22, e00114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fawpar.2020.e00114
Khanjari, A., Bahonar, A., Fallah, S., Bagheri, M., & Alizadeh, A. (2014). Prevalence of fasciolosis and dicrocoeliosis in slaughtered sheep and goats in Amol Abattoir, Mazandaran, northern Iran. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Disease, 4(2), 120–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2222-1808(14)60327-5
Manuchar, S. A., Rashid, N. H., Omer, M. H., Mahmood, Z. H., & Clegg, S. R. (2021). A survey of sheep dicrocoeliosis in Sulaymaniyah slaughterhouse, northern Iraq in 2013–2014. Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports, 25, 100556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100556
Marcilla, A., Bargues, M. D., & Mas-Coma, S. (2002). A PCR-RFLP assay for the distinction between Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica. Molecular and Cellular Probes, 16(5), 327–333.
https://doi.org/10.1006/mcpr.2002.0416
Mas-Coma, S. (2020). Human fascioliasis emergence risks in developed countries: From individual patients and small epidemics to climate and global change impacts. Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica (English Edition), 38(6), 260–262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eimc.2020.01.014
Mas-Coma, S., Valero, M. A., & Bargues, M. D. (2009). Fasciola, lymnaeid snails and human fascioliasis: Transmission, epidemiology, evolutionary genetics, molecular epidemiology and control. Advances in Parasitology,69, 41–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-308X(09)69002-3
Muhammad, M. J., & Hassan, Z. I. (2021). Molecular diagnosis of Fasciola hepatica in livestock using cox1 gene in Erbil Governorate , Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences, 33(4), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.21271/ZJPAS.33.4.4
Nerway, F. U., et al. (2021). Prevalence of fascioliasis among slaughtered livestock in Duhok governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan. Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 35(1), 107–113.
https://doi.org/10.33899/ijvs.2020.126650.1389
Othman, V. S., Hama, A. A., Zorab, R. H., & Dalimi, A. (2023). Molecular characterization of liver fluke isolated from sheep, goats, and cattle in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Iranian Journal of Parasitology, 18(4), 554–562. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijpa.v18i4.14264
Periago, M. V., Valero, M. A., Panova, M., & Mas-Coma, S. (2006). Phenotypic comparison of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica from European and African bovines using CIAS. Parasitology Research, 99(4), 368–378. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0174-3
Popovici, D.-C., Dărăbuș, G., Marin, A.-M., Ionescu, O., Moraru, M. M. F., Imre, M., Tîrziu, E., & Mederle, N. (2024). Identification and molecular characterization of giant liver fluke (Fascioloides magna) infection in European fallow deer in Romania-First report. Microorganisms, 12(3), 527.
https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12030527
Raoof, H. S., Marif, H. F., Rahman, H. S., Omar, M., Sheikh, B., & San Ahmed, A. M. (2020). Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Fasciola species in sheep and goats in Sulaymaniyah Governorate , Northern Iraq. Journal of Zankoy Sulaimani, 22(1), 297–305.
https://doi.org/10.17656/jzs.10794
Rekani, A. M., & Mero, W. M. S. (2023). Molecular characterization of Fasciola spp. from ruminants in Duhok Governorate using the ITS1 ribosomal DNA marker. Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences, 37(2), 315–323. https://doi.org/10.33899/ijvs.2022.134290.2358
Sanad, S. A. M., & Al-Megrin, W. A. I. (2005). Fascioliasis among local and imported sheep in Saudi Arabia. Veterinary Parasitology, 131(1–2), 145–150. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.04.031
Sanad, M. M., & Al-Megrin, W. A. I. (2005). Fascioliasis among local and imported sheep in Saudi Arabia: Parasitological and serological diagnosis. Journal of the Egyptian Society of Parasitology, 35(3 Suppl), 1121–1134. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16363289/
Shoriki, T., Ichikawa-Seki, M., Devkota, B., et al. (2016). Molecular discrimination of Fasciola spp. by multiplex PCR targeting nuclear pepck and pold genes. Parasitology International, 65(4), 465–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2016.02.013
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). (2024). Manual of diagnostic tests and vaccines for terrestrial animals (13th ed.). WOAH.
Wu, Z., Wang, J., Meng, Z., Jin, W., He, K., Zhang, W., & Di, W. (2021). Identification of Fasciola spp. based on ITS-2 reveals Fasciola gigantica infection in buffaloes in Nanning city, South China. Veterinary Parasitology, 300, 109585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2021.109585
Zhang, H., Wang, J., Mehmood, K., & Li, K. (2023). Trematode infection in ruminants, Volume II. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10, 1258751. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1258751 .
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Bahzad Mustafa
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
1.png){kind=spacer}
