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J Zoo Wildl Med 2021 Apr;52(1):206-216

Wildlife Conservation Society, Zoological Health Program, Bronx, NY 10460, USA.

Sarcocystosis was diagnosed in a captive flock of thick-billed parrots () at the Wildlife Conservation Society's Queens Zoo. Since the index case in 2005, 45% of mortalities in birds over 30 days of age were due to sarcocystosis. was repeatedly identified as the causative agent. Read More

Vet World 2021 Feb 22;14(2):468-474. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sulaimani University, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq.

Background And Aim: Sarcocystosis is a zoonotic infection caused by various species of organisms with a worldwide geographic distribution. This study investigated the presence of organisms in cattle and sheep slaughtered at an abattoir in Sulaimani Province in North Iraq.

Materials And Methods: A total of 130 muscle samples were collected during May, June, and July of 2020, including 80 samples from sheep and 50 samples from cattle. Read More

Parasitol Res 2021 May 5;120(5):1845-1850. Epub 2021 Mar 5.

Royal Veterinary College, Hatfield, AL9 7TA, UK.

A reintroduced white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in moderate body condition was found dead and submitted for post-mortem examination. There were no signs of disease on gross pathological examination. Histopathological examination however revealed the presence of encysted protozoan parasites in pectoral and cardiac muscle sections. Read More

Res Vet Sci 2021 May 19;136:151-157. Epub 2021 Feb 19.

Animal Parasitic Disease Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture- Agricultural Research Service, 10300, Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States of America. Electronic address:

Apicomplexan species in the genus Sarcocystis form tissue cysts, in their intermediate hosts, similar to those established in chronic toxoplasmosis. More than 200 species are known, but just a few are known to threaten human health owing to infection in livestock species. Intestinal sarcocystosis occurs when people consume raw or undercooked beef contaminated with Sarcocystis hominis or S. Read More

Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021 Feb 22. Epub 2021 Feb 22.

2Zoonosis Sector, Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health Malaysia, Putrajaya, Malaysia.

Sarcocystosis outbreaks in Tioman and Pangkor islands of Malaysia between 2011 and 2014 have raised the need to improve Sarcocystis species detection from environmental samples. In-house works found that published primers amplifying the 18S rRNA gene of Sarcocystis either could not produce the target from environmental samples or produced Sarcocystis DNA sequence that was insufficient for species identification. Using the primer pair of 18S S5 F (published) and 28S R6 R (new), this study improved the PCR amplification of Sarcocystidae to overcome these two difficulties. Read More

Parasitol Res 2021 Feb 18;120(2):637-654. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafr El-Sheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, 33516, Egypt.

In a survey study on the macroscopic species of Sarcocystis infecting domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and cattle (Bos taurus) in Egypt, the macrosarcocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea and Sarcocystis medusiformis were detected in the carcasses of 33 domestic sheep out of a total of 250 (13.20%), whereas Sarcocystis hirsuta macrosarcocysts were found in 17 out of 150 cattle (11.33%) slaughtered at the municipal abattoirs of two different provinces in Egypt. Read More

Parasitol Res 2021 Feb 6;120(2):751-754. Epub 2021 Jan 6.

Laboratório de Sanidade Animal, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, 28013-602, Brazil.

Protozoa of the genus Sarcocystis are obligatory heterogenous parasites with both definitive and intermediate hosts. Opossums (Didelphis aurita) can shed multiple species of Sarcocystis with birds as the intermediate host. The pathologies of Sarcocystis species in birds have not been thoroughly elucidated. Read More

PLoS One 2020 2;15(12):e0242505. Epub 2020 Dec 2.

The SeaDoc Society, Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center - Orcas Island Office, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Eastsound, Washington, United States of America.

Understanding health and mortality in killer whales (Orcinus orca) is crucial for management and conservation actions. We reviewed pathology reports from 53 animals that stranded in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Hawaii between 2004 and 2013 and used data from 35 animals that stranded from 2001 to 2017 to assess association with morphometrics, blubber thickness, body condition and cause of death. Of the 53 cases, cause of death was determined for 22 (42%) and nine additional animals demonstrated findings of significant importance for population health. Read More

Front Vet Sci 2020 2;7:573016. Epub 2020 Nov 2.

Department of Anatomy, Pathology and Veterinary Clinics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Brazil.

and are protozoan parasites endemic to the Americas. The former is the major cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, and the latter is associated with pulmonary sarcocystosis in birds. The opossum is the definitive host of these parasites in North America. Read More

Parasitol Int 2021 Feb 4;80:102219. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, PR China; College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, PR China. Electronic address:

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic disease caused by intracellular coccidian protozoans that belong to the genus Sarcocystis. These parasites can cause diseases of the nervous system, abortion and economically significant losses in host animals. Previous studies have reported that Sarcocystis is found in mammals, birds and reptiles, while molecular and morphological studies of infected Tibetan sheep have not been performed in the Qinghai region. Read More

Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2020 Dec 22;73:101566. Epub 2020 Oct 22.

Department of Medical Parasitology & Mycology, School of Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran. Electronic address:

Cattle are intermediate host for several species of Sarcocystis, including S. cruzi, S. hirsuta, and S. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Dec 30;119(12):4205-4210. Epub 2020 Oct 30.

Nature Research Centre, Akademijos Str. 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Until now, two Sarcocystis species, S. cornixi and S. corvusi, were known to employ members of the family Corvidae as intermediate hosts. Read More

Vet Sci 2020 Oct 27;7(4). Epub 2020 Oct 27.

Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of León (ULE), 24071 León, Spain.

Sarcocystosis is considered one of the major parasitic diseases with a worldwide distribution. It is caused by the obligatory intracellular protozoan parasites of the genus . Besides its public health issues, sarcocystosis results in significant economic losses due to its impact on productivity and milk yield. Read More

J Food Prot 2021 Mar;84(3):429-433

Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Santa Maria, CEP 97105900, Brazil (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9179-2159 [L.P.P.]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2591-2327 [F.D.F.]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8055-7495 [C.E.M.]; https://orcid.org/000-0002-2364-1084 [L.A.S.]; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3160-3643 [J.F.C.]; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1351-9912 [F.S.F.V.]).

Abstract: Sarcocystosis is a disease caused by various Sarcocystis species, a coccidian protozoan parasite that infects humans and animals and is commonly found in ruminants. Although Sarcocystis occurs all over the world, the species responsible for infecting buffaloes in Brazil have not been identified. In this study, we used molecular methods to estimate the prevalence of natural Sarcocystis infection in buffaloes. Read More

Parasit Vectors 2020 Oct 14;13(1):512. Epub 2020 Oct 14.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.

Background: There has been considerable confusion concerning the number and classification of Sarcocystis spp. in chickens. Scarce nucleotide data of Sarcocystis spp. Read More

Trop Anim Health Prod 2020 Nov 4;52(6):3809-3817. Epub 2020 Oct 4.

Setor de Patologia Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9090, Prédio 42.505, Bairro Agronomia, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 91540-000, Brazil.

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is an important neurologic disease of horses in the American continent caused by Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi infection. This study describes the pathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular findings of fatal cases of EPM in southern Brazil. A review was performed on a total of 13 cases compatible with EPM, which were diagnosed by postmortem examination in the period of 2010-2017. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Nov 20;119(11):3915-3922. Epub 2020 Sep 20.

Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, CABA (C1425FQB), Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Sarcocystis spp. are intracellular protozoan parasites with heteroxenous life cycles. This study described Sarcocystis spp. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Nov 18;119(11):3785-3791. Epub 2020 Sep 18.

Yunnan Institute of Endemic Diseases Control and Prevention, Dali, 671000, China.

In the present study, sarcocysts of Sarcocystis cymruensis were found in four of 42 (9.5%) Norway rats and those of S. ratti were observed in six of 60 (10%) black rats in China. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Nov 15;119(11):3777-3783. Epub 2020 Sep 15.

Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Various muscle samples of wild boar (Sus scrofa) from Latvia were studied for the presence of Sarcocystis infection by means of morphological and molecular methods. Sarcocysts were detected in 122 out of 140 (87.1%) wild boar examined. Read More

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2020 07 18;21:100424. Epub 2020 Jun 18.

Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores (CEPAVE-CONICET-UNLP-asociado a CICPBA), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Wild and domestic dogs are important reservoir hosts of numerous intestinal parasites that represent potential infection sources for both humans and wild or other domestic animals. The aim of this study was to determine the presence, diversity, and contamination potential of intestinal parasites in dog feces contaminating urban and recreational areas in Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego province, Argentina). A total of 80 canine fecal samples were collected from urban (playgrounds, streets, sidewalks, squares and coastal walks) and recreational areas (winter centers for raising and training sled dogs) in 2018. Read More

Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2020 07 22;21:100439. Epub 2020 Jul 22.

Departamento de Anatomia, Patologia e Clínicas, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Escola de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Avenida Adhemar de Barros, 500, Ondina, Salvador 40170-110, Bahia, Brazil. Electronic address:

Sarcocystis neurona, a coccidian parasite shed by opossums (Didelphis spp.) in the Americas, is the major cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) and induces disease in other domestic and wild animal species, including domestic dogs. Sarcocystis cruzi, despite its low pathogenicity for cattle (intermediate hosts), is worldwide distributed and uses mostly dogs as definitive hosts. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Oct 24;119(10):3347-3357. Epub 2020 Aug 24.

Centre for Wildlife Conservation, Management and Disease Surveillance, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, UP, India.

A total of 57 tissue samples of domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) were collected from the meat outlets of five north Indian states and examined for sarcocystosis by histological and molecular methods. The genomic DNA extracted from five representative positive isolates was subjected to PCR amplification of the partial 18S rRNA gene followed by cloning and sequencing. Sequence analysis of the newly generated Indian isolates recorded 96. Read More

Acta Parasitol 2021 Mar 13;66(1):129-135. Epub 2020 Aug 13.

Laboratório de Patologia Veterinária (LPV), Departamento de Patologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Roraima avenue, 1000, prédio 74-B, Santa Maria, RS, 97105-900, Brazil.

Purpose: Despite of classically acting as definitive hosts of different Sarcocystis species, domestic cats have been pointed out as possible intermediate hosts of S. neurona and S. felis. Read More

J S Afr Vet Assoc 2020 Aug 11;91(0):e1-e10. Epub 2020 Aug 11.

Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Chicago, United States; and, Charles River Laboratories, Senneville.

Impalas (Aepyceros melampus) are common African antelope. A retrospective study was conducted of 251 impala cases from game farms, national parks and zoos submitted by veterinarians and pathologists in South Africa (2003-2016). Histopathology slides as well as records of macroscopic lesions and additional diagnostic tests performed were examined. Read More

Parasitol Int 2020 Dec 8;79:102176. Epub 2020 Aug 8.

Grupo PARAVET (Parasitología y Enfermedades Parasitarias), PASAPTA, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, C/Tirant lo Blanc, 7, Alfara del Patriarca, 46115. Valencia, Spain. Electronic address:

Thrushes (Turdus spp.) are migratory passerine birds found in northern Europe during the summer months and in southern Europe and north of Africa during the winter. They constitute an important small game bird group very appreciated by Spanish hunters. Read More

J Vet Diagn Invest 2020 Jul;32(4):611-615

Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy (Veronesi, Morganti, Lepri).

The only species currently known to inhabit the fibers of skeletal and cardiac muscles in horses are , and . We describe herein the invasion of myofibers in a horse by , a sheep-specific species with low virulence in the original host. A hunter gelding was referred to a veterinary surgeon in Newmarket (UK). Read More

Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2020 10;29(3):e001720. Epub 2020 Jul 10.

Departamento de Patologia Clínica Veterinária, Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.

In this study, we described the morphological features and unusual presentations of hydatidosis, fasciolosis, and eosinophilic myositis caused by Sarcocystis species diagnosed at the slaughterhouse lines. Twenty-seven samples of atypical parasitic lesions from distinct cattle were evaluated, of which 12 corresponded to hydatidosis, 11 to fasciolosis, and 4 to eosinophilic sarcocystosis. Hydatid cysts were observed mainly in the heart, with all cases involving the left ventricle. Read More

Heliyon 2020 Jun 7;6(6):e04171. Epub 2020 Jun 7.

Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

is a genus of eucoccidian parasites, which globally infects humans and various animals. In addition to economic losses in livestock industries, the parasite is a zoonosis that infects humans through contaminated beef and pork with the parasite sarcocysts. Therefore, this study was carried out to assess contamination in beef and industrial raw beef burger samples from butcheries and retail stores in Tehran, Iran. Read More

Parasitol Res 2020 Jul 3;119(7):2309-2315. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Koshien University, 10-1 Momijigaoka, Takarazuka, Hyogo, 665-0006, Japan.

The first study reporting the morphological characterization of Sarcocystis sybillensis was performed in 1983; however, without any molecular analysis. Sarcocystis nipponi has been recently described as a species synonymic to S. sybillensis. Read More

Lett Appl Microbiol 2020 Oct 22;71(4):377-385. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic disease caused by an intracellular protozoan parasite Sarcocystis belonging to the phylum Apicomplexa. These parasites have a requisite two-host life cycle. Recently, there are many Sarcocystis species that identified morphologically. Read More