Identification of Invasive Biomphalaria glabrata Prevalence Using Internal Transcribed Spacer in Egyptian Governorates

Wesam M. Salama

Background and Objective: Biomphalaria species widely distributed all over the Egyptian Governorates considered as an the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. This study aimed to investigate the interspecific variations between two Biomphalaria species that collected from five different governorates namely; Gharbia, Beni Suef, Giza, Menoufia and Qalyubia by the amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) then comparing using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Materials and Methods: All wild Biomphalaria snails were collected from the terminal irrigation canals. Laboratory well identified B. alexandrina and B. glabrata were obtained from Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) to be used as a reference snails. The DNA of wild and laboratory snails were extracted and ITS region was amplified using PCR, then comparing using the restriction enzyme Dde I. Results: The present study showed that the amplification of ITS region revealed the appearance of single band with 1100 bp in both wild and laboratory Biomphalaria species. After RFLP profile, three bands of 480, 260 and 100 bp were detected in snails that collected from Giza and Beni Suef governorates. These bands were similar to bands obtained in laboratory B. glabrata. While Gharbia, Menoufia and Qalyubia snails’ expressed two bands (480 and 100 bp) only which were similar to laboratory B. alexandrina. Conclusion: Biomphalaria species collected from Giza and Beni Suef governorates were identical to B. glabrata and species that collected from the other governorates were identical to B. alexandrina.

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