Nuchprayoon S, Sangprakarn S, Junpee A, Nithiuthai S, Chungpivat S, Poovorawan Y
Department of Parasitology, Chula Medical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. 2003;34 Suppl 2:67-73.
Lymphatic filariasis has been targeted by the World Health Organization for elimination by the year 2020. Malayan filariasis, caused by Brugia malayi, is endemic in southern Thailand where domestic cats serve as a major reservoir host. However, in nature, domestic cats also carry B. pahangi infection. In addition to chemotherapy and vector control, control in reservoir hosts is necessary to achieve the elimination of the disease. Therefore, differentiation between B. malayi and B. pahangi in the cat reservoir will help the lymphatic control program to monitor and evaluate the real disease situation. It is difficult to differentiate these two Brugia species by microscopic examination. The technique is also time-consuming and requires expertise. We employed the polymerase chain reaction-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique of internal transcribed spacer regions, ITS1 and ITS2, of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) to differentiate B. malayi from B. pahangi species. Among the restriction enzymes tested, only the PCR product of ITS1 digested with Ase I could differentiate B. malayi from B. pahangi. This PCR-RFLP technique will be useful for lymphatic filariasis control programs for monitoring and evaluating animal reservoirs.
世界卫生组织已将淋巴丝虫病列为到2020年要消除的目标疾病。由马来布鲁线虫引起的马来丝虫病在泰国南部流行，当地家猫是主要的储存宿主。然而，在自然环境中，家猫也携带彭亨丝虫感染。除了化疗和病媒控制外，控制储存宿主对于实现疾病消除也是必要的。因此，区分猫储存宿主中的马来布鲁线虫和彭亨丝虫将有助于淋巴丝虫病控制项目监测和评估实际疾病情况。通过显微镜检查很难区分这两种布鲁线虫。该技术还耗时且需要专业知识。我们采用核糖体DNA（rDNA）的内部转录间隔区ITS1和ITS2的聚合酶链反应连锁限制性片段长度多态性（PCR-RFLP）技术来区分马来布鲁线虫和彭亨丝虫。在所测试的限制性内切酶中，只有用Ase I消化的ITS1的PCR产物能够区分马来布鲁线虫和彭亨丝虫。这种PCR-RFLP技术将有助于淋巴丝虫病控制项目监测和评估动物储存宿主。
