Occurrence of zoonotic fascioliasis in donkeys in Egypt with emphasis on PCR-RFLP of 28S rRNA gene

Fascioliasis is an important parasitic zoonosis worldwide and has a veterinary problem in herbivourous animals. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and molecular identification of Fasciola spp. in donkeys in two localities in Egypt (Giza Zoo, Giza Province and Zagazig region, Sharkia Province). One hundred and thirty one fecal samples were collected from donkeys slaughtered at Giza Zoo and also from animals at Zagazig region. Feces were examined by simple sedmententation concentration technique. The overall prevalence rate of fascioliasis was 17.6% (23 out of 131). The infection rate was 32.1% (17 out of 53) in donkeys at Giza Zoo and 7.7% (6 out of 78) at Zagazig region. A postmortem examination was carried out for animals at Giza Zoo. The recovered worms were morphotyped as Fasciola gigantica. As a first molecular typing of fascioliasis of donkeys in Egypt, the 28S rRNA gene of adult worm specimens from infected ten donkeys at Giza Zoo was amplified and digested with the restriction enzyme Ava II using PCR-RFLP. The RFLP patterns of all specimens revealed two fragments of 322 and 269 bp characteristic for F. gigantica. No F. hepatica or intermediate forms could be detected. This study drew an attention for the control of fascioliasis in donkeys to avoid public health hazard.