First molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of Echinococcus granulosus (sensu stricto) genotype 1 in human in Saudi Arabia.

Echinococcosis is a neglected zoonotic parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus. Currently, little information is available on the genetic figure of Echinococcus species among human in Saudi Arabia. In the present study, 60 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPT) hydatid cysts that were confirmed and collected from Taif hospitals between 2019 and 2023. Deparaffinization was followed by DNA extraction. PCR protocol was used to amplify the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. The amplified PCR products were sequenced, and subsequent phylogenetic tree was constructed and analyzed. Fifty-four (90 %) of FFPTs cysts yielded specific DNA fragments, the rest gave no reaction. 100 % of the FFPTs samples that gave clear reaction were of G1 genotype indicating the predominance of this genotype in Saudi Arabia, especially in Taif governorate. This report has provided, for the first time, an insight of the molecular genotyping of hydatidosis in human cases in Saudi Arabia.