Prevalence and phylogeography of metacestodes from goats of India.

The study determined the prevalence and genetic population structure relationships of ( metacestode) retrieved from the goats slaughtered in north India. An overall prevalence of 9.62% (59/613) was recorded. Genetic population structure relationships were assessed by targeting partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 mitochondrial gene sequence. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that all the present study representative isolates ( = 7) formed a major clade and grouped with isolates retrieved from sheep, goats, pigs and dogs, originating from China, Iran, Nigeria, Ghana and Poland. However, a single isolate from Himachal Pradesh (isolate 3) formed a subgroup within the clade. The neutrality and diversity indices revealed high values of haplotype diversity [Hd = 0.99695 (0.95238–1.0000)] and low nucleotide diversity ( = 0.49276), which was indicative of demographic expansion and low gene flow, suggesting that Indian isolates were not genetically differentiated. Tajima's (−1.26988) and Fu and Li's statistics values (−0.74556) were negative, demonstrating deviations from neutrality and both propounded recent population expansion or purifying selection. Results highlighted a low genetic diversity of metacestodes across the geographical range of north India.