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Make a general comment to:Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in Carnivores in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran Using Mitochondrial DNA

Posted by smsadjjadi on 24 Nov 2011 at 16:52 GMT

The authors have done very well. However, I am wondering why the "Echinococcus multilocularis" photos have no hooks.

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RE: Make a general comment to:Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in Carnivores in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran Using Mitochondrial DNA

ElhamRazmjou replied to smsadjjadi on 26 Nov 2011 at 00:35 GMT

Thank you for the comment. As described in the material and methods, the intestines from animals were kept at -80˚C for at least seven days in order to prevent any potential dissemination of infectious agents. Given the fact that worms underwent through freeze/thaw processes and given that the intestines were washed several times to get rid of debris could be responsible for the absence of the rostellar hooks. We, however, used various morphological characteristics based on universal keys to confirm the worms.
Again, we appreciated your comments.

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RE: Make a general comment to:Detection of Echinococcus multilocularis in Carnivores in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran Using Mitochondrial DNA

molouk7052 replied to smsadjjadi on 26 Nov 2011 at 10:01 GMT

Dear Prof. Sadjjadi,

I would like to thank you sincerely for your attention. As you know, in order to reduce or exclude the infection risk of E. multilocularis infection, deep freezing at –80°C at least one week is essential. Therefore, freezing and thawing and then washing process in IST technique are the main causes of damage and losing of E. multilocularis hooks (Molouk Beiromvand).

“Many of the intestinal stages lose some or even all hooks, therefore, the number of hook is not a useful diagnostic criterion in frozen taeniid material. (Deplazes P., Institute of Parasitology University of Zurich, Switzerland, personal communication).

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