Genetic identification of the sticktight flea Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood) infesting chickens in the Al-Baha region, Saudi Arabia

Stick-tight fleas, Echidnophaga gallinacea (Westwood), are major ectoparasites of domesticated chickens and can cause serious diseases and even death if left untreated. In the present study the flea samples were collected from three traditional chicken-raising farms in the Al-Baha region. The samples were examined under a stereomicroscope and identified using classification keys. After extracting DNA from the insects, the polymerase chain reaction technique was used to identify the hereditary gene, cytochrome oxidase, present in the insect biopics. The gene was purified, its nucleotide sequence was obtained, and the accession number (OR161051) has been assigned in GenBank. After determining its nucleotide sequence, it was compared with other insects in GenBank, where it was found to be identical (99.82%) to the E. gallinacea isolate from Thailand recorded in GenBank [OQ291364 and MW492259 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nucleotide/MW492259.1?report=genbank&log$=nucltop&blast_rank=1&RID=VJR9ZAEE013)]. The match was 94.33% with Echidnophaga iberica from Spain (KF479239) and 93.97% with Echidnophaga oschanini from China (KU880666). The phylogenetic tree also showed similarities between the Saudi Arabian isolates and other isolates. This genetic study of sticktight fleas is the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, therefore will be valuable for assessing the prevalence and geographical distribution of this parasite.