Species Identification of Dictyocaulus Found in Domesticated and Wild Ruminants

Dictyocaulus, or large lungworms, are a genus of parasitic nematodes that infect cattle (Bos taurus), horses (Equus caballus), deer and other ruminants. The lungworm has been found to cause disease, specifically parasitic pneumonia, and may be severe enough to kill the host. There is some confusion in the literature whether deer and cattle are infected with the same or different species of lungworm. This is important for ranchers as to how much effort they put into keeping deer away from cattle. Molecular differences of Dictyocaulus species found in cattle, red deer (Cervus elaphus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were determined by amplifying the major sperm protein 1 (MSP1) gene and the mitochondrial cyclooxygenase (COX-1) gene of ribosomal DNA and then using PCR sequencing. The first round of samples sent for sequencing came back with high percent identity matches. Our results to date give samples E6 and CN5, cattle originating from Mississippi, using the Cox-1 primer identified as Dictyocaulus viviparus. Also using Cox-1 primer, sample e10 (red deer) identified as Dictyocaulus eckerti. Using the MSP1 primer, sample W9 (white-tailed deer) identified as Dictyocaulus eckerti. E6 using MSP1, identified as Dictyocaulus viviparus. Sample T100 (white-tailed deer) using MSP1 identified as Dictyocaulus eckerti. Sample T (white-tailed deer) using MSP1 identified as Dictyocaulus eckteri for the forward strand, and Dictyocaulus capreoluson the reverse stand. All identifications were what was expected with the exception of D. capreolus. More samples will be tested with MSP1, Cox-1, and ITS2 primers to determine species identity and phylogenetic relationships