Original Research Article

Genetic Characterization of Schistosoma haematobium population in central Sudan

Abdelbasit Mohammed Ibrahim^1*, Imran Fadl Osman Fadl², and Mohammed Mubarak Elbasheir¹

¹Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Alzaeim Alazhari University, Khartoum State, Sudan
²Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science University of Khartoum, Khartoum State, Sudan

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: abdelbasit00@gmail.com

Received: 15 June 2023  I  Accepted: 20 July 2023  I  Published: 30 July 2023  I  Article ID: MRJMMS23025
Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

Abstract

Schistosoma haematobium is neglected and highly endemic parasitic infection in central Sudan affecting those who come in contact with the contaminated water of irrigating canals in the agricultural schemes and water pools of the seasonal rains. S. haematobium is the causative agent of the urinary schistosomiasis and the pathology and morbidity related to it. This study was conducted to characterize the population of S. haematobium in central Sudan by using pooled Schistosoma eggs and previously published microsatellite markers. 16 urine samples were selected from schoolchildren confirmed infected with S. haematobium by microscopic examination from Sinnar and Khartoum states. Samples were centrifuged and the sedimented eggs were pooled and preserved in Eppendorf tubes filled with 70 % alcohol and treated as one sample for the extraction of Schistosoma DNA. Six previously publish microsatellite markers were used for the population characterization. The study revealed a high genetic diversity level of S. haematobium population in the study area. However, the population was not exposed to any genetic force. All loci were checked for deviation from Hardy Weinberg equilibrium that was found to be ranging from 0.045 to 0.029. The study concluded that S. haematobium in the study area was in a high rate of genetic diversity however, it was not under any genetic force.

Keywords: Genetic diversity, Microsatellite loci, Population structure, Schistosoma haematobium