Open AccessEtudes interlaboratoires sur les espèces du complexe Obsoletus
Author(s) -
Catherine Cêtre-Sossah,
Thomas Balenghien,
Claire Garros,
Ignace Rakotoarivony,
Jean Claude Delécolle,
R. Meiswinkel
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux/revue d'élevage et de médecine vétérinaire des pays tropicaux
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1951-6711
pISSN - 0035-1865
DOI - 10.19182/remvt.10053
Subject(s) - dna barcoding , zoology , biology , cytochrome c oxidase subunit i , mitochondrial dna , veterinary medicine , medicine , genetics , gene
Culicoides species are difficult to identify but, recently, molecular identification tools based on cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1), internal transcribed spacer 1 or 2 (ITS-1 or ITS-2) have been developed for Palaearctic species including vector species. In the framework of Medreonet network, the workpackage on “Regional surveillance of vectors” includes guidelines on Palaearctic and Mediterranean Culicoides species identification using molecular tools. Three ring trials were carried out to test whether the methods and tools used in the main laboratories of Europe were adequate and able to identify species correctly. Moreover, a questionnaire was sent to each laboratory to record the protocols and tools used for molecular identification. The four species of the Obsoletus complex, C. obsoletus, C. scoticus, C. chiopterus, and C. dewulfi were selected for the ring trial. All specimens were first morphologically identified by experts. The first ring trial containing eight specimens (four males and four females) of the four species was sent on the 4th of August 2008 to 13 different participating laboratories from seven countries. Two types of material were sent: extracted deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) (four samples/species) and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-ground biting midges (34 samples/species). Eventually, two laboratories did not participate. Only two out of the 11 participating laboratories correctly identified the species. The molecular identification used was based on ITS-1 and ITS-2 markers. A second ring trial was sent in April 2009 with only extracted DNA samples to avoid the different extraction steps which could interfere with tool sensitivity. A total of 20 extracted DNA samples were sent to 10 participating laboratories. Four out of the 10 correctly identified the species. Three laboratories used methods based on ITS-2 or ITS-1 markers, and one laboratory used CO1. Finally, a third ring trial with 20 PBS-ground samples was sent in September 2009 to 10 laboratories. Only one laboratory correctly identified the species. Sensitivity and specificity of the molecular tools used are discussed.