Genetic diversity of Echinococcus multilocularis in red foxes in Poland: The first report of a haplotype of probable Asian origin

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to estimate the genetic diversity of the cestode Echinococcus multilocularis Leuckart, 1863in Poland based on sequence analysis of the mitochondrial genes of worms isolated from red foxes, Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus). Overall,83 adults of E. multilocularis from the same number of foxes in different parts of Poland were used for analysis. Sequences of the threemitochondrial genes, cytochrome b (cob), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (nad2) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1), wereanalysed. Seventy-four individual biological samples were successfully sequenced. Combined sequence analysis of these three genesexhibited fifteen Polish haplotypes (EmPL1-EmPL15). Most isolates (n = 29; 39%) were classified to the EmPL1 haplotype, whichoccurred mainly in the east, north and centre of Poland. Haplotype EmPL4 (n = 14; 19%) and other haplotypes appeared predominantlyin the south and west area. Fourteen haplotypes were grouped in the European clade. One Polish haplotype (EmPL9) (n = 7, 10%) wasassigned to the Asian clade with haplotypes from Japan and Kazakhstan. This haplotype was found only in northeast Poland and this isthe westernmost report of haplotype of E. multilocularis belonging to the Asian clade in Europe. The investigation demonstrated thatpopulations of E. multilocularis in Poland (and probably also in eastern Europe) included not only different European haplotypes butalso those of the Asian origin.