Moleculare identification of giant liver fluke Fasciola gigantica from intermediate host snail Radix sp. in middle and south of Iraq

Abstract

Freshwater snail Radix sp. was recorded in this study as intermediate host for the giant liver fluke Fasciola gigantica through detecting the presence of the gene cathepsin L with molecular weight of 1615 base pairs in the soft parts of snails .
Results of gel electrophoresis using adult Fasciola gigantica DNA as control group showed that four Radix sp. snail samples collected in Diwaniyah, Wasit, Muthanna and Basra represent the intermediate hosts of Fasciola gigantica.