Sheep-human genetic similarities of Entamoeba histolytica isolates recovered from farms and human hospitals in Al-Diwaniyah Province, Iraq

The current comparative investigation was conducted to identify sheep-human genetic similarities of Entamoeba histolytica isolates recovered from animal farms and human hospitals in Al-Diwaniyah Province, Iraq. The study involved the use of 50 (25 sheep and 25 human) fecal samples that were subjected to microscopic examination and a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and a partial gene sequencing, of which both targeted the 18S rRNA gene as a molecular marker. The findings of the microscopy documented that 21 (84%) and 20 (80%) of the sheep and human fecal samples, respectively, contained the cyst of the E. histolytica. The PCR reported the identity of the parasites in the tested samples from both sheep and human at 17 (68%) and 15 (60%), respectively. The phylogenetic analysis revealed close-alignment between sheep and human isolates due to high similarities between the sequences of nucleotides between both host isolates. The finding of the present work reveals high presence of Entamoeba histolytica in fecal samples of sheep and humans with high similarity between the isolates of both hosts, which may indicate a highly transmissible pathogen between sheep and human beings.