Authors: N Sastre I Ravera D Ferreira L Altet A Sánchez M Bardagí O Francino L Ferrer
Publish Date: 2013/07/14
Volume: 112, Issue: 9, Pages: 3369-3372
Abstract
The identification of Demodex injai as a second Demodex species of dog opened new questions and challenges in the understanding on the Demodex–host relationships In this paper we describe the development of a conventional PCR technique based on published genome sequences of D injai from GenBank that specifically detects DNA from D injai This technique amplifies a 238bp fragment corresponding to a region of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA of D injai The PCR was positive in DNA samples obtained from mites identified morphologically as D injai which served as positive controls as well as in samples from three cases of demodicosis associated with proliferation of mites identified as D injai Furthermore the PCR was positive in 2 out of 19 healthy dogs Samples of Demodex canis and Demodex folliculorum were consistently negative Skin samples from seven dogs with generalized demodicosis caused by D canis were all negative in the D injaispecific PCR demonstrating that in generalized canine demodicosis mite proliferation is speciesspecific This technique can be a useful tool in the diagnosis and in epidemiologic and pathogenic studies
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