Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Moniezia Species in Ruminants Based on ITS1-5.8S rRNA from Van Province, Turkey

This study aimed to calculate the occurence of Moniezia species in cattle, sheep, and goats in Van province and to identify these species using morphological and molecular methods (ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene region analysis). Additionally, the study aimed to identify the genetic differences between Moniezia expansa and Moniezia benedeni. During the summer of 2022, intestinal contents were collected from 150 ruminants (50 cattle, 50 sheep, and 50 goats) slaughtered in slaughterhouses in Van province. The parasites were examined using Aceto-Carmine staining, and species identification was based on interproglottidal glands. Examination of the intestinal contents revealed that 2 out of 50 cattle (4%), 14 out of 50 sheep (28%), and 9 out of 50 goats (18%) were infected with Moniezia. Morphological and molecular analyses showed that the cattle samples were identified as Moniezia benedeni, goats samples as Moniezia expansa and those from sheep as 11 Moniezia expansa and 3 Moniezia benedeni. Following DNA extraction, the ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene region was amplified using PCR and subjected to sequence analysis. The relationship between species was examined by phylogenetic tree. This study confirms the prevalence of Moniezia spp. in Van/Türkiye by using the ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene.