Identification of Sarcocystis capracanis in cerebrospinal fluid from sheep with neurological disease

Sarcocystis Species Richness in Sheep and Goats from Lithuania

Contradictory data is available on the intermediate host specificity of Sarcocystis spp. in farm animals. Therefore, the current work aimed at molecularly testing samples of sheep and goats reared in Lithuania to identify Sarcocystis species described in other intermediate hosts but suspected to be non-canonical parasites to these small ruminants. For this purpose, muscle samples from 47 domestic sheep and nine goats were examined. Sarcocystis species were identified using direct and nested PCR targeting cox1 and sequencing of positive amplified products. Along with the detection of the canonical Sarcocystis spp. in their respective intermediate hosts, the DNA of S. capracanis and S. morae was detected in sheep, although these species were previously thought to be specific to goats and deer, respectively. In addition, DNA from S. arieticanis and S. tenella was found in goats, even though these two species were believed to be sheep-specific. Notably, under light microscopy, only sarcocysts of S. capracanis specific to goats were observed. Thus, future research on the life cycle and host-specificity of Sarcocystis spp. examined is warranted.

Morphological and molecular characterization of a Sarcocystis species infecting donkeys from China

There is considerable confusion concerning the relationships among species of Sarcocystis found in donkeys and horses. Here, we describe a Sarcocystis species in Chinese donkeys (Equus asinus). Sarcocysts were found in 12 of 32 (37.5%) adult donkeys. By light microscopy, they were divided into two types, thin-walled and thick-walled. The thin-walled were macroscopic (up to 320 μm wide) and had short club-like protrusions (up to 2.7 μm long); the thick-walled were microscopic (up to 135 μm wide) and had villar protrusions (up to 5.4 μm long). Ultrastructures of the two types exhibited similar morphological characteristics, including bundled microtubules in the core of the villar protrusions penetrating diagonally into the ground substance, similar to wall type 11c. Three genetic markers, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, and mitochondrial cox1, obtained from the two morphotypes were sequenced and analyzed. The sequences of the three loci in the two morphotypes presented high intraspecific similarities of 97.2-99.5%, 97.8-99.6% and 99.0 - 99.9%, respectively. The most similar sequences in GenBank to the newly obtained 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA and cox1 sequences were those of Sarcocystis spp. in horses, with similarities of 90.0 - 97.5%, 94.7 - 95.1%, and 82.6 - 84.5%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis using the three genetic markers indicated that the Sarcocystis sp. in donkeys formed an individual clade most closely related to a clade encompassing Sarcocystis spp. in horses. Further studies are needed for taxonomic identification of sarcocysts in donkeys because the Sarcocystis species in donkeys and horses are not successfully cross transmissible despite morphological similarities.

First description of Sarcocystis species infecting Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia)

Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) is a North African native wild Caprinae, introduced in the 1970s in new territories such as Spain, the USA, and Mexico. Here, we describe Sarcocystis species in Barbary sheep. Sarcocysts were found in 19 out of 56 adult A. lervia in Southern Spain and characterized morphologically and molecularly. By light microscopy, sarcocysts had thin (< 1 μm) or thick (> 2 μm) walls. By transmission electron microscopy, sarcocysts with thick walls had Type 14 villar protrusions corresponding to S. tenella/S. capracanis of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) or goats (Capra hircus). Sarcocysts with thin walls had Type 7b villar protrusions that corresponded to S. arieticanis/S. hircicanis of domestic sheep or goats. Molecular analyses allowed the identification of only thick-walled Sarcocystis species. Six sarcocysts were assigned to S. tenella (99.2-100% and 95.6-100% sequence similarity within 18S rRNA and COI, respectively) and 19 sarcocysts were assigned to S. capracanis (98.5-99.8% and 97.9-99.0% sequence similarity within 18S rRNA and COI, respectively). Further studies are needed for taxonomic identification of sarcocysts in Barbary sheep because Sarcocystis species in sheep and goats are not cross transmissible despite morphological similarities.

Molecular identification of Sarcocystis species in diaphragm muscle tissue of European mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) from Austria

Previous morphological studies suggested that mouflon may have sarcocysts similar to those of sheep. However, to date, no molecular-based studies of the species of Sarcocystis infecting mouflon have been done. The present study identified Sarcocystis species in diaphragm muscle samples from 20 European mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon). Molecular identification using the cox1 sequence analysis was performed on sarcocysts excised from muscle tissue and on DNA from digested muscle samples. Both frequency and intensity of infection in mouflon were high with 19 of 20 animals testing Sarcocystis positive and > 50 cysts per gram of tissue recovered from 10 of the 19 Sarcocystis positive animals. Molecular analysis revealed dominant Sarcocystis tenella (18/19 animals) and Sarcocystis arieticanis (1/19 animals), whose known intermediate hosts are sheep. In addition, Sarcocystis capracanis, which is known to form sarcocysts in goats, was detected in two animals. The results of this study demonstrated the digestion method to be superior over the direct isolation of sarcocysts for the molecular identification of Sarcocystis species in a certain host. Future research of Sarcocystis diversity in wild ovine and caprine species is needed.

Investigation of Sarcocystis spp. in slaughtered cattle and sheep by peptic digestion and histological examination in Sulaimani Province, Iraq

Background and Aim:

Sarcocystosis is a zoonotic infection caused by various species of Sarcocystis organisms with a worldwide geographic distribution. This study investigated the presence of Sarcocystis 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. Samples were examined visually for macrosarcocysts. The peptic digestion method was used to analyze fresh muscle tissue samples for detecting microsarcocysts followed by microscopic examination. Furthermore, muscle samples were fixed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histopathological examination.

Results:

In the gross examination, macroscopic cysts were not detected in both cattle and sheep; hence, all the prevalence data were obtained through microscopic observation of muscle samples. The peptic digestion method revealed the presence of banana-shaped bradyzoites in 90% and 92.5% of slaughtered cattle and sheep muscle samples, respectively. Organ-wise prevalence revealed that 95% and 92% of esophageal samples of sheep and cattle contained Sarcocystis spp., respectively Moreover, 90% and 88% of sheep and cattle diaphragms were respectively infected. Histopathological examination of tissue sections revealed two morphologically distinct types of microsarcocysts, including thin-walled and thick-walled, in both sheep and cattle.

Conclusion:

The suspected Sarcocystis spp. were Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis arieticanis in sheep and Sarcocystis cruzi and Sarcocystis bovifelis or Sarcocystis hominis in cattle. Infective stages of different Sarcocystis spp. are widespread in the study area environment.

Ultrastructural and Molecular Identification of the sarcocysts of Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis arieticanis Infecting Domestic Sheep (Ovis aries) from Egypt

BACKGROUND

In spite of the global economic significance of sheep production, little is known about the prevalence of various Sarcocystis spp. infecting the domestic sheep (Ovis aries) in Egypt.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Muscle samples were collected from 175 sheep (> 2 years) slaughtered at El-Mahalla El-Kubra abattoir, Gharbia governorate, Egypt. Samples were initially examined by naked eye for the existence of macrosarcocysts. The microscopic sarcocysts were detected and identified using the light microscopy and the Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Different microscopic species of ovine Sarcocystis were molecularly confirmed by PCR, sequence analyses and phylogeny.

RESULTS

Preliminary light microscopic inspection of the muscle specimens revealed the existence of only the microscopic sarcocysts of Sarcocystis tenella and Sarcocystis arieticanis in 152 (86.8%) out of the175 examined animals. Sarcoysts of S.tenella had striated thick cyst wall that amounted from 3.5-5.5 μm in thickness whereas, S.arieticanis sarcocysts had a thin cyst wall that ranged from 1-3 μm in thickness. S.tenella sarcocysts were detected in 115 sheep (65.7%), and were more prevalent than those of S.arieticanis, observed only in 68 sheep (38.8%). No macroscopic sarcocysts were observed in any of the examined carcasses. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the cyst wall of S.tenella revealed the existence of the short stubby villar protrusions (VP) with the characteristic disk-like structures at the tips of the (VP). While, TEM of S.arieticanis showed that the cyst wall had elongated tubular protrusions that measured approximately 5-7 μm in length. Each (VP) consisted of a dome-shaped base (0.3-0.9 μm in diameter), a relatively thick middle portion (0.1-0.3 μm) in width, and a thin hair-like distal portion that measured about (0.03 x 1-4.5 μm).

CONCLUSION

Comparative analyses of the sequences of the four genetic markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, mitochondrial cox1 and ITS-1) for S.tenella and S.arieticanis isolates detected herein, revealed genetic variations of 95% and 95- 96% among the different isolates on the level of the 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA, respectively. Whereas, the cox1 and ITS-1 shared sequence identities of 76-78% and 70-73%, respectively. S.tenella was strongly related to S.capracanis infecting goats (Capra hircus). Sequence identity of 98% on the level of 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA genes was observed between the currently identified isolates of S.tenella and the formerly GenBank deposited isolates of S.capracanis. While, cox1 sequences shared identities of 92-93%. Furthermore, S.arieticanis isolates identified here were closely related to the formerly published sequences of S.hircicanis. The 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences of S.arieticanis shared 98% and 94-95% identities with those of S.hircicanis, respectively. However, 87-88% homologies were observed between the cox1 sequences of S.arieticanis and S.hircicanis. Consequently, cox1 and ITS-1 gene sequences act as better genetic markers than 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences for the characterization of ovine Sarcocystis spp. Maximum parsimony analyses based on the sequences of three genetic markers, (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and mitochondrial cox1), yielded the same placement of the currently identified isolates of the two taxa (S.tenella and S.arieticanis) within a clade of Sarcocystis species with carnivorous animals as known, or assumed, final hosts.

Molecular Characterization of Sarcocystis Species Isolated from Sheep and Goats in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Simple Summary

In this article, we investigated the occurrence of Sarcocystis species in samples of sheep and goats obtained from slaughterhouses in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We searched for tongue, heart, esophagus, diaphragm and skeletal muscle tissues. Fragments of these tissues were investigated by macroscopic evaluations, direct optical microscopy of tissue fragments, optical microscopy of digested fragment sediment, transmission electron microscopy and PCR followed by nucleotide sequencing. From the set of information obtained, we searched 230 sheep, and 84 goats; 91 and 36 were found to be infected, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed Sarcocystis tenella (S. tenella) in sheep and Sarcocystis capracanis (S. capracanis) in goats. Sarcocystis species were confirmed in Saudi Arabian sheep and goats by molecular testing. S. capracanis was most closely related to S. tenella, with the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COX1) sequences sharing a (91.7%) identity.

Abstract

Sarcocystosis is induced by species of Sarcocystis, which is an intracellular protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. The diversity and importance of Sarcocystis species in sheep and goats in Saudi Arabia are poorly understood. In this study, the tongue, esophagus, heart, diaphragm, and skeletal muscles were collected from 230 sheep and 84 goats, and the tissues were examined for the presence of Sarcocystis species by macroscopic examination and light microscopy. Microscopic Sarcocystis species cysts were found in both sheep and goats. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed S. tenella in sheep and S. capracanis in goats. Sarcocystis species were confirmed for the first time in Saudi Arabian sheep and goats by molecular testing. S. capracanis was most closely related to S. tenella, with the COX1 sequences sharing 91.7% identity. A phylogenetic analysis produced similar results and indicated that the Sarcocystis isolates were within a group of Sarcocystis species in which dogs were the final host. Finally, the Sarcocystis species cysts from sheep and goats could be grouped together, indicating that they were strongly related.

Prevalence and histopathology of Sarcocystosis in slaughtered carcasses in southeast Iran

Objective

Sarcocystis spp. are common parasites and in terms of economics and pathogenicity in domestic animals is important. The purpose of this work was to define the rate of contamination of slaughtered carcasses of cattle to Sarcocystis using digestive and histopathological methods in southeast Iran.

Material and Methods

In this descriptive laboratory study for 1 year, 500 carcasses were examined and isolated bradyzoites of Sarcocystis with the digest method. Also, tissue samples from the esophagus and diaphragm were considered for pathologic studies and stained with hematoxylin and eosin of sections of histopathological.

Results

The results showed that the highest contaminations were in imported male animals aged 2-3 years old in the spring. There was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the prevalence rate with the sex and race of cattle but no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the prevalence rate with age and season.

Conclusion

Infection with Sarcocystis is common in oxen in this region. The imported cattle are more infected. It seems that racing and the environmental condition affect the prevalence of Sarcocystosis.

Detection and Identification of Sarcocystis cruzi (Protozoa: Apicomplexa) by Molecular and Ultrastructural Studies in Naturally Infected Korean Cattle (Bos taurus coreanae) from Daejeon, Korea

To survey the prevalence of Sarcocystis infections, 210 heart samples were collected from Korean native cattle (Bos taurus coreanae) at an abattoir in Daejeon Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea. Sarcocysts were detected form 31 specimens (14.8%) and identified as Sarcocystis cruzi via transmission electron microscopy. The wall of S. cruzi has flattened protrusions that did not contain fibrils or microfilaments. The protrusions arose irregularly from the base, contained a fine granular substance, lacked internal microfilaments, and measured approximately 0.21–1.25 μm in length and 0.05–0.07 μm in width. Sequence analysis revealed 99.5% homology to S. cruzi. This is the first report on the prevalence of S. cruzi in native cattle from the Republic of Korea.

First detection and molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. in small ruminants in North-West Tunisia

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic disease caused by varying Sarcocystis species infecting humans and animals. It is commonly found in small ruminants causing pathogenic effects. This contributes to detrimental economic loss for local farmers and the local economy due this disease. Although the distribution of Sarcocystis can be found all over the world, the species infecting small ruminants in Tunisia is still unknown. Through this study, we aim to estimate the molecular prevalence of natural infection with Sarcocystis spp. in sheep and goats using molecular identification. Also, phylogenetic analyses were used to identify the different species of this parasite infecting small ruminants in northern Tunisia for the first time. DNA was extracted from 198 and 121, sheep and goats meat samples, respectively. The molecular prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in sheep and goats was 58.6% (116/198) and 50.4% (61/121), respectively. Compared to the Noire de Thibar and cross-breeds, the Barbarine sheep had the highest infection prevalence (63.4%) (p = .004). Five of the 116 positive samples were sequenced identifying Sarcocystis tenella from sheep. For goats, the sequencing results showed that five positive PCR products belonged to Sarcocystis capracanis species.

Sarcocystis spp. in domestic sheep in Kunming City, China: prevalence, morphology, and molecular characteristics

Sheep (Ovis aries) are intermediate hosts for at least six named species of Sarcocystis: S. tenella, S. arieticanis, S. gigantea, S. medusiformis, S. mihoensis, and S. microps. Here, only two species, S. tenella and S. arieticanis, were found in 79 of 86 sheep (91.9%) in Kunming, China, based on their morphological characteristics. Four genetic markers, i.e., 18S rRNA gene, 28S rRNA gene, mitochondrial cox1 gene, and ITS-1 region, were sequenced and characterized for the two species of Sarcocystis. Sequences of the three former markers for S. tenella shared high identities with those of S. capracanis in goats, i.e., 99.0%, 98.3%, and 93.6%, respectively; the same three marker sequences of S. arieticanis shared high identities with those of S. hircicanis in goats, i.e., 98.5%, 96.5%, and 92.5%, respectively. No sequences in GenBank were found to significantly resemble the ITS-1 regions of S. tenella and S. arieticanis. Identities of the four genetic markers for S. tenella and S. arieticanis were 96.3%, 95.4%, 82.5%, and 66.2%, respectively.

Prevalence, morphology, and molecular characteristics of Sarcocystis spp. in domestic goats (Capra hircus) from Kunming, China

Despite the importance of worldwide goat production, little is known about the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in domestic goats (Capra hircus) in China. The aims of the present study were to determine prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in domestic goats in Kunming, China, as well as to identify parasite species based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analysis. Only microscopic sarcocysts of Sarcocystis spp. were detected in 174 of 225 goats (77.3 %). By light and transmission electron microscopy, two species, i.e., Sarcocystis capracanis and Sarcocystis hircicanis, were identified. Two sarcocysts from each of the two species were randomly selected for DNA extraction; the 18S rRNA gene (18S rRNA), the 28S rRNA gene (28S rRNA), and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequently sequenced. The results were compared with other previously sequenced Sarcocystis species retrieved from GenBank. There was little sequence variation between two isolates of the same species. S. capracanis was most closely related with Sarcocystis tenella; 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and mitochondrial cox1 sequences shared identities of 95.7-99.1, 95.3, and 92.3-93.2 % with those of S. tenella, respectively. Thus, mitochondrial cox1 sequences seem to perform better than 18S rRNA sequences or 28S rRNA sequences for identification of the two species. S. hircicanis was most closely related to Sarcocystis arieticanis, i.e., 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences of the former species shared 97.2-97.4 and 95.6-96.1 % identities with those of latter, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis inferred from the three genetic markers yielded similar results and indicated the two species were within a group of Sarcocystis species with canines as known, or presumed, definitive hosts.

Diagnosing limb paresis and paralysis in sheep

Paresis and paralysis are uncommon problems in sheep but are likely to prompt farmers to seek veterinary advice. A thorough and logical approach can aid in determining the cause of the problem and highlighting the benefit of veterinary involvement. While this may not necessarily alter the prognosis for an individual animal, it can help in formulating preventive measures and avoid the costs – both in economic and in welfare terms – of misdirected treatment. Distinguishing between central and peripheral lesions is most important, as the relative prognoses are markedly different, and this can often be achieved with minimal equipment. This article describes an approach to performing a neurological examination of the ovine trunk and limbs, the ancillary tests available and the common and important causes of paresis and paralysis in sheep.

First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis tenella in Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) in Poland

In this study, sarcocysts from three Polish Tatra chamois were isolated and identified using morphological and molecular methods for the first time. Six cysts were found in the latissimus dorsi muscle and another two in the diaphragm. No sarcocysts were detected in the myocardium, tongue, and esophagus. The isolated cysts were long with rounded ends, 0.35-0.61 mm in length, and 0.02-0.06 mm in width. All the sarcocysts were identified as Sarcocystis tenella on the basis of light microscopy and sequencing of cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (cox1) and small-subunit rRNA (ssu rRNA) genes. Comparative analysis showed a 99.23% identity of the cox1 gene sequences from Tatra chamois and sheep sarcocysts, and an even higher degree of sequence identity (99.88%) was documented in the case of the ssu rRNA gene. When compared at a haplotype level, all the sheep sequences of cox1 differed from those isolated from Tatra chamois. In contrast, one out of the two ssu rRNA haplotypes from the sheep isolates was identical with the haplotype from Tatra chamois. In conclusion, we showed that cox1 and ssu rRNA genes can be used as genetic markers for identification of the S. tenella, with cox1 gene providing better resolution during phylogenetic analyses. However, both genetic population analysis and phylogenetic inference with cox1 and ssu rRNA genes demonstrated that they do not constitute good markers for spatial differentiation of S. tenella.

Theileria infection in domestic ruminants in northern Ethiopia

Piroplasmosis caused by different tick-borne hemoprotozoan parasites of the genera Theileria and Babesia is among the most economically important infections of domestic ruminants in sub-Saharan Africa. A survey for piroplasm infection was conducted in three locations in Northern Ethiopia. Of 525 domestic ruminants surveyed, 80% of the cattle, 94% of the sheep and 2% of the goats were positive for different Theileria spp. based on PCR of blood followed by DNA sequencing. Sheep had a significantly higher rate of infection compared with cattle (P<0.0003) and both sheep and cattle had higher rates of infection compared to goats (P<0.0001). Four species of Theileria were detected in cattle: T. velifera, T. mutans, T. orientalis complex and T. annulata with infection rates of 66, 8, 4, and 2%, respectively. This is the first report of T. annulata, the cause of Tropical Theileriosis in Ethiopia. Of the two Theileria spp. detected in small ruminants, T. ovis was highly prevalent (92%) in sheep and rare in goats (1.5%) whereas T. seperata was infrequent in sheep (2%) and rare in goats (0.4%). None of the animals were positive for Babesia spp.; however, Sarcocystis capracanis and S. tenella were detected in one goat and a sheep, respectively. The widespread distribution of Theileria spp. among cattle in northern Ethiopia including the virulent T. annulata and more mildly pathogenic T. mutans and T. orientalis, and the high infection rate in sheep with the usually sub-clinical T. ovis indicate extensive exposure to ticks and transmission of piroplasms with an important economic impact.