High resolution DNA fingerprinting by AFLP to study the genetic variation among Oesophagostomum bifurcum (Nematoda) from human and non-human primates from Ghana.

An AFLP approach was established to investigate genetic diversity within Oesophagostomum bifurcum (order Strongylida) from human and non-human primates. Evaluation of different combinations of restriction enzymes (n = 8) and primers (n = 29) demonstrated that the use of HindIII/BglII digested templates and primers with the selective nucleotides + AG/ +AC, respectively, was the most effective for the analysis of O. bifurcum DNA. A total of 63 O. bifurcum adults from human, Patas monkey, Mona monkey and Olive baboon hosts from different geographical regions in Ghana were subjected to analysis using this method. Cluster analysis revealed 4 genetically distinct groups, namely O. bifurcum from the Patas monkey (I), from the Mona monkey (II), from humans (III) and from the Olive baboon (IV). These findings were concordant with those achieved previously using RAPD analysis and supports population genetic substructuring within O. bifurcum according to host species. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the present AFLP method for establishing genetic variation within O. bifurcum, and indicates its applicability to other parasitic nematodes of human and/or veterinary health importance.