Apicomplexan parasites are obligate parasites of many species of vertebrates. To date, there is very limited understanding of these parasites in the most diverse group of vertebrates, actinopterygian fishes. While DNA barcoding targeting the eukaryotic 18S small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence has been useful in identifying apicomplexans in tetrapods, identification of apicomplexans infecting fishes has relied solely on morphological identification by microscopy. In this study, a DNA barcoding method was developed that targets the 18S rRNA gene primers for identification apicomplexans parasitizing certain actinopterygian fishes. A lead primer set was selected showing no cross reactivity to the overwhelming abundant host DNA and successfully confirmed 34 of the 41 (82.9%) microscopically verified parasitized fish blood samples analyzed in this study. Furthermore, this DNA barcoding method identified four additional samples that screened negative for parasitemia suggesting this molecular method may provide improved sensitivity over morphological characterization by microscopy. In addition, this PCR screening method for fish apicomplexans using Whatman FTA preserved DNA was tested in efforts leading to a more simplified field collection, transport and sample storage method as well as a streamlining sample processing important for DNA barcoding large sample sets.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 5. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 02 August 2021.
All research outputs
#8,671,575
of 29,555,295 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Parasitology
#503
of 3,166 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#113,253
of 335,191 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Parasitology
#4
of 23 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 29,555,295 research outputs across all sources so far. This one has received more attention than most of these and is in the 70th percentile.
So far Altmetric has tracked 3,166 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.7. This one has done well, scoring higher than 84% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 335,191 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 65% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 23 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 82% of its contemporaries.
