Detection of Fasciola hepatica using nested-PCR in the slaughterhouses of Alborz, Iran

Fasciola hepatica is a parasitic liver trematode that causes fasciolosis in humans and dairy animals. Traditional detection of infection is based on a microscopic examination with low sensitivity. There-fore, this study was carried out to develop an accurate and rapid method to detect F. hepatica in Al-borz province. In this cross-sectional study, 386 samples were collected from livers of cattle and sheep in three slaughterhouses of Alborz. DNA was extracted, and nested-PCR was carried out based on the F. hepatica ITS-2 sequence. DNA amplification showed first and second PCR products with expected size of 336 and 208 bp respectively, as unique for F. hepatica. The results showed no cross-reaction with the negative control. Thirty-five liver samples were positive for this parasitic infection. Totally, the prevalence of F. hepatica in the slaughterhouses of Alborz, Iran was 9.07%. This is the first study of the molecular detection of F. hepatica using nested-PCR in Alborz. It is a sensitive and rapid method that will help evaluate the prevalence rate of F. hepatica infection.