A PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF SCHISTOSOMA-HAEMATOBIUM GROUP SPECIES BASED ON RANDOMLY AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHIC DNA

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles were produced using four oligonucleotide primers with genomic DNA from 15 isolates of sch istosome. Both inter- and intraspecific variation were noted. Intraspe cific variation was greater for two species of the S. haematobium grou p (S. haematobium and S. intercalatum) than for S. mansoni. The inferr ed phylogeny placed S. curassoni and S. bovis as sister groups to S. m ansoni-S. rodhaini group. S. mattheei and S. leiperi formed a separate lineage. The results confirm that RAPD profiles may be used for both strain and species differentiation and for the generation of phylogene tic trees.