Species-specific primers designed from RAPD products for Bithynia funiculata, the first intermediate host of liver fluke, Opisthorchis viverrini, in north Thailand

Jutharat Kulsantiwong, Sattrachai Prasopdee, Supawadee Piratae, Panita Khampoosa, Apiporn Suwannatrai, Wipada Duangprompo, Thidarut Boonmars, Wipaporn Ruangjirachuporn, Jiraporn Ruangsittichai, Vithoon Viyanant, Paul D.N. Hebert, Smarn Tesana

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Bithynia funiculata is the first intermediate host of the human liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini in northern Thailand but its identification through morphological analysis is often problematic due to the shortage of gastropod taxonomists. As a consequence, we focused on the development of species-specific primers for use as an identification tool. Our work involved recovery of a 502-base pair (bp) amplicon of unknown function through species-specific primers whose effectiveness was tested by analyzing specimens of B. funiculata from 3 locations in northern Thailand. This primer set did not amplify other species in the Bithyniidae or in other gastropod families. By providing a tool to confirm morphological identifications of B. funiculata, and by enabling the identification of juvenile specimens and those with damaged shells, these primers will improve estimates of the prevalence of parasitic infections in this snail.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)433-437
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Parasitology
Volume99
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2013

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