Paramphistome Species in Water Buffaloes and Intermediate Hosts in the Kızılırmak Delta in Samsun Province, Turkey

Purpose This study was carried out to determine the paramphistome species parasitizing water buffaloes (WBs) grazing in the Kızılırmak Delta in Samsun Province, Turkey, and the intermediate hosts of the parasites. Methods Between August 2016 and July 2018, abattoirs in Samsun Province were visited weekly and 139 slaughtered WBs were examined for paramphistome species. In the same period, 550 snails (300 Galba truncatula , 200 Physella (Physa) acuta and 50 Planorbis planorbis ) were collected from pastures grazed by WBs during monthly sampling in the spring and autumn. Adult parasites were identified through the use of histological and molecular methods and larval stages were identified with a molecular method. Results Forty-five of the 139 WBs (32.4%) were infected with species of the family Paramphistomidae and a total of 4761 (mean 105.8) parasites were collected from them. The genera Paramphistomum and Calicophoron were distinguished from each other by examining the development status of the pars musculosa and the degree of lobulation of the testes in histological sections. Calicophoron daubneyi was present in all the infected animals and Paramphistomum cervi in only 3 of the same animals. There were larval forms in only 19 of the specimens identified as G. truncatula. Calicophoron daubneyi was molecularly diagnosed in 12 of the 19 infected G. truncatula and this result was confirmed by PCR and PCR–RFLP. Calicophoron daubneyi was also identified molecularly as being present in all 45 infected adult WBs and as developmental stages in 12 of 300 (4%) intermediate hosts, G . truncatula . The DNA sequences from the adult parasites in the definitive hosts and larval forms in intermediate hosts were allocated the codes MH939278 and MH939279, respectively, in GenBank. Conclusion For the first time in Turkey, C. daubneyi was identified molecularly and its intermediate host was identified as G. truncatula . Calicophoron daubneyi was identified as the overwhelmingly dominant paramphistome species in WBs in the Kızılırmak Delta, with P. cervi found in mixed infections in only three animals.