The aim of this study was to identify Trichuris species in wild ruminants from 32 localities in the Czech Republic using morphological and molecular methods (ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms). Trichurids were obtained from 176 wild ruminants (roe deer, sika deer, red deer, fallow deer and mouflons) that were culled between 2009 and 2017. Trichuris discolor is the predominant trichurid of all of the above-mentioned wild ruminants, whereas Trichuris ovis was identified less frequently in roe deer, fallow deer, sika deer and mouflons. Red deer were parasitised exclusively by T. discolor. Young hosts under 1 year of age were more intensively infected by trichurids than were adults (χ2 = 32.02, p = 0.00). Trichurid prevalence results obtained through coprological methods and those based on parasitological dissections differed significantly (χ2 = 16.26, p = 0.00). The regression analysis indicated that the eggs per gram (EPG) threshold (20 EPG) was exceeded only if the host was parasitised by more than 7 trichurid females. Full concordance between the positive results obtained by the coprological methods and those obtained via direct dissections was achieved when the number of trichurid females per host exceeded 51.

• Keywords
• Effectiveness of coprology, Game ruminants, ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region, Prevalence, Trichuris discolor, Trichuris ovis,
• MeSH
• Animals, Wild parasitology   MeSH
• Sheep, Domestic parasitology   MeSH
• Trichuriasis epidemiology   parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Trichuris classification   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Deer parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

The main aim of the study was to evaluate associations between morphological variability of Trichuris females from sheep and roe deer and their rDNA polymorphism in whipworm populations from the Czech Republic. The results introduced the use of new molecular markers based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms, as useful tools for the unambiguous differentiation of congeners Trichuris ovis and Trichuris discolor. These markers revealed both parasites in roe deer and in sheep; however, T. ovis females predominated in sheep while T. discolor females occurred mostly in roe deer. Additional analysis of ITS1-5.8 rRNA-ITS2 discovered the genetic uniformity of the analysed T. discolor but high haplotype variation of T. ovis. Simultaneously, molecularly designated female individuals of both species were categorised into four morphotypes (MT) on the basis of morphology of genital pore area. MT1 and MT4 (vulvar opening on everted vaginal appendage/on visible cuticular bulge) occurred only in T. ovis, MT2 (uneverted vagina-vulvar opening without any elevation) was identified only in T. discolor and MT3 (transient type of vulvar opening on a small swelling) was observed in both species. Statistical analysis of biometric data confirmed that morphology of vulva is not a reliable marker for the species determination. On the basis of the ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region variability, we carried out a phylogenetic analysis (maximum likelihood method, Hasegawa-Kishino-Yano model) which showed that T. ovis haplotypes from the Czech Republic and Ireland and T. discolor haplotypes from the Czech Republic, Spain, Iran and Japan are sister OTUs.

• Keywords
• ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 region, Molecular markers, Morphotypes, Trichuris discolor, Trichuris ovis,
• MeSH
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Molecular Typing MeSH
• Sheep Diseases parasitology   MeSH
• Sheep genetics   parasitology   MeSH
• Polymorphism, Genetic MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal genetics   MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal MeSH
• Trichuriasis parasitology   veterinary   MeSH
• Trichuris anatomy & histology   classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Deer parasitology   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal MeSH
• RNA, Ribosomal MeSH

Trichuris sp. individuals were collected from Myocastor coypus from fancy breeder farms in the Czech Republic. Using morphological and biometrical methods, 30 female and 30 male nematodes were identified as Trichuris myocastoris. This paper presents the first molecular description of this species. The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) region, consisting of internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-1, 5.8 gene and ITS-2, was sequenced. Based on an analysis of 651 bp, T. myocastoris was found to be different from any other Trichuris species for which published sequencing of the ITS region is available. The phylogenetic relationships were estimated using the maximum parsimony methods and Bayesian analyses. T. myocastoris was found to be significantly closely related to Trichuris of rodents than those of ruminants.

• Keywords
• ITS1-5.8S-ITS2, Myocastor coypus, Parasites, Trichuris myocastoris, rDNA,
• MeSH
• Bayes Theorem MeSH
• DNA, Helminth chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Phylogeny MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal chemistry   genetics   MeSH
• Base Sequence MeSH
• Trichuriasis epidemiology   veterinary   virology   MeSH
• Trichuris * anatomy & histology   classification   genetics   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Names of Substances
• DNA, Helminth MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal Spacer MeSH
• DNA, Ribosomal MeSH