Fasciola hepatica and Dicrocoelium dendriticum: isoenzyme patterns of malate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme.

The MDH isoenzymes and ME isoenzymes (EC.1.1.1.39) in two helminth parasites, F. hepatica and D. dendriticum, obtained from two host species (Capra hircus and Ovis aries), were studied by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels. F. hepatica MDH showed three isoenzymatic bands; D. dendriticum MDH, only two. No difference was noted between the enzyme profiles, or the densitometric scans in samples from specimens from different host species. F. hepatica ME presented three bands, that of D. dendriticum, only two. Only in F. hepatica were differences observed between the enzyme profiles of specimens obtained from the different host species.