Molecular Characterization and Phylogenetic Analysis of Raillietina Species Infecting Domestic Pigeons (Columba livia domestica): Insights from Genetic Sequencing

Raillietina spp. are significant intestinal parasites affecting domestic 
pigeons (Columba livia domestica), causing considerable health challenges 
and economic losses in avian populations. So, the current study aimed to 
determine its prevalence in one-hundred pigeon intestine samples that were 
collected from different butcher in El-Menoufiya Governorate, Egypt. 
Results revealed its detection in 20.0% of the examined samples, reflecting 
the considerable burden of Raillietina infections in this region. The 
diagnosis of Raillietina spp. based solely on morphological features is 
often challenging due to intraspecific variation and morphological 
similarities among related species. Therefore, molecular diagnosis 
targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (coi) gene was 
utilized to provide precise and accurate identification of Raillietina 
isolates; where it gave positive band at 450 bP. Moreover, amplification 
and sequencing of the coi gene allowed for definitive species confirmation 
and discrimination from closely related cestodes. Phylogenetic analysis 
showed that the obtained coi gene sequence was significantly identical, 
with more than 99.0% similarity to recorded Raillietina hymenolipidoides 
genes from various sources deposited in GenBank. This high genetic 
similarity underscores the conserved nature of this gene region among 
Raillietina species infecting different avian hosts and highlights the utility 
of molecular tools for epidemiological and taxonomic studies. In 
conclusion, the integration of prevalence data with molecular diagnosis 
and phylogenetic analysis enhances understanding of Raillietina infections 
in domestic pigeons, supporting improved surveillance, control, and 
prevention strategies to mitigate their impact on poultry health and 
productivity.