Abstract Background Cobras ( Naja spp.) are widely consumed and traded in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, yet their role in the transmission of zoonotic cestodes of the genus Spirometra remains unresolved at the species level. Accurate molecular identification is essential to clarify host associations, population connectivity, and potential public health implications. Methods Plerocercoids were collected from Naja sputatrix (East Java) and Naja sumatrana (West Sumatra). Specimens were characterised morphologically and subjected to mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses at the species level were conducted to determine the identity of the isolated cestodes and assess genetic relationships among isolates. Pairwise genetic distances were calculated to examine whether genetic differentiation correlated with host species. Results All newly generated sequences were consistently placed within the Spirometra mansoni clade with strong nodal support. Despite observable differences in larval body size between host species, all 15 isolates were distributed across only two cox1 haplotypes ( P -distance = 0.000 within haplotypes, 0.020 between haplotypes), both of which were shared between N. sputatrix and N. sumatrana , indicating no host-associated genetic differentiation between the two examined cobra species. Indonesian isolates exhibited high genetic similarity to previously reported S. mansoni sequences from other domestic and wild vertebrates ( P -distance ≤ 0.026), as well as from geographically distant regions including Australia, China, and South America. These findings provide the first molecular confirmation of S. mansoni in N. sputatrix and the first record of Spirometra infection in N. sumatrana . Conclusions Spirometra mansoni was confirmed to infect two cobra species in Indonesia ( N. sputatrix and N. sumatrana ) without evidence of host-specific genetic partitioning. The limited genetic differentiation across regions suggests substantial population connectivity, potentially facilitated by anthropogenic activities such as wildlife exploitation and trade. Cobras may represent an epidemiologically relevant interface linking sylvatic transmission cycles with human exposure. Molecular surveillance of Spirometra in wildlife entering food chains is warranted to better assess zoonotic risk.
Edila et al. (Thu,) studied this question.