Microsatellite profiling of hosts from parasite-extracted DNA illustrated with raccoons (Procyon lotor) and their Baylisascaris procyonis roundworms.

We showed that reliable microsatellite-based genetic profiles of host individuals can be obtained by amplifying DNA extracted from a parasitic nematode. Specifically, the approach can be applied to reconstruct invasion pathways of roundworms when samples of the raccoon hosts are lacking. Further research should assess whether this method can be replicated in smaller species of parasitic nematodes and other phyla of parasites more generally.