COMPARATIVE RAPD-PCR ANALYSIS OF LUNGWORMS (DICTYOCAULIDAE) FROM FALLOW DEER, CATTLE, SHEEP, AND HORSES

Genomic DNA isolated from the four Dictyocaulus species D. viviparus, D. eckerti, D. filaria and D. arnfieldi was compared by random amplifi ed polymorphic DNA polymerase chain reaction (RAPD)-PCR to get additio nal information whether lungworms from fallow deer belong to a separat e species (D, eckerti) or have to be regarded as an isolate of D. vivi parus in wild ruminants. The resulting banding patterns of the electro phoresed PCR products were compared to assess the degree of genetic di fferences between the different lungworms. For the two D. viviparus is olates a similarity coefficient of 93.4% was calculated, whereas the s imilarity coefficient of D. viviparus, D, eckerti, D. filaria and D. a rnfieldi ranged from 12% to 32%. The similarity coefficient of 32% bet ween D. eckerti and D, viviparus compared with the intraspecies simila rity of 93.4% indicates that D. eckerti most likely belongs to a separ ate species and is not a D. viviparus isolate of wild ruminants.