Abstract
Pulmonary and gastrointestinal parasitic infections represent a significant impediment to profitable livestock production, resulting in substantial economic losses. In Iraqi buffaloes, many parasites are rarely investigated with neglected of phylogenetic data. The aims of study to investigate the prevalence rates of pulmonary (D. viviparus) and gastrointestinal (F. gigantica, F. hepatica and S. papillosus) parasites using the molecular diagnostic assay (PCR) with phylogenetic analysis of local isolates for documentation and indication its identity to the global NCBI isolates/strains. A total of 530 buffaloes of various ages and sexes were selected randomly from different rural areas in Wasit province, and subjected to sampling the nasal and fecal swabs to be tested molecularly by the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Then, a number of positive PCR products for each parasite were sequenced, submitted in the NCBI-GenBank database, and analysed phylogenetically using the MEGA-11 software. Our findings revealed that the prevalence rates of D. viviparus, F. gigantica, F. hepatica, and S. papillosus were 8.11%, 3.96%, 7.17%, and 14.34, respectively. Epidemiological data shown that D. viviparus and F. hepatica were more prevalent in buffaloes of 1-5 and >5 (11.01% and 8.72%, respectively) years than those aged <1 year. However, data of F. gigantica and S. papillosus were differed insignificantly among all age groups (<1, 1-5, and >5 years) of study buffaloes. For sex, distribution of D. viviparus, F. gigantica, and F. hepatica were differed insignificantly between females and males, while prevalence of S. papillosus was significantly higher in both males than females. Additionally, prevalence of S. papillosus was significantly higher both females and males, when compared to other study. Phylogenetic data indicated that D. viviparus, F. gigantica, F. hepatica, and S. papillosus isolates were closely related to the NCBI-BLAST Romanian (ID:PP808495.1), Iranian isolate (ID:JN828955.1), Turkish (ID:FJ459806.1), and Chinese (ID:KX138391.1) isolates. This might represent the first Iraqi study demonstrates molecularly the occurrence of D. viviparus and S. papillosus in buffaloes, and phylogenetic identity to global isolates suggesting the need for furthermore studies.

Key words: Bubalus bubalis, Liver flukes, Lungworms, Nematodes, Parasitic infection, Threadworms, Trematodes