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Animals : An Open Access Journal From... Jul 2018Dogs entering shelters can carry gastrointestinal parasites that may pose serious risks to other animals, shelter staff and visitors. Shelters provide an environment... (Review)
Review
Dogs entering shelters can carry gastrointestinal parasites that may pose serious risks to other animals, shelter staff and visitors. Shelters provide an environment that could facilitate the spread of parasitic infections between animals. Nematodes and protozoa that transmit through ingestion or skin penetration are major enteric parasites of concern in shelter settings. spp., , , , and are the major helminths while , , spp. and spp. are the most prevalent protozoan parasites in shelter dogs. The prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in shelter dogs is typically higher than in owned dogs. A range of cost-effective drugs is available for prevention and control of helminths in shelters, notably fenbendazole, pyrantel, oxantel, and praziquantel. Parasiticide options for protozoan parasites are often cost-prohibitive or limited by a lack of veterinary registration for use in dogs. Environmental control measures reliant upon hygiene and facility management are therefore a mainstay for control and prevention of protozoan parasites in shelters. This philosophy should also extend to helminth control, as integrated parasite control strategies can allow anthelmintics to be used more sparingly and judiciously. The purpose of this article is to comprehensively review the current knowledge on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites most commonly found in dogs in shelters, canvass recommended treatment programs in shelter dogs, and to explore the likelihood that parasiticide resistance might emerge in a shelter environment.
PubMed: 30004469
DOI: 10.3390/ani8070108 -
Sarcocystis neurona and related Sarcocystis spp. shed by opossums (Didelphis spp.) in South America.Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia... 2021Protozoan parasites of the genus Sarcocystis are obligatory heteroxenous cyst-forming coccidia that infect a wide variety of animals and encompass approximately 200... (Review)
Review
Protozoan parasites of the genus Sarcocystis are obligatory heteroxenous cyst-forming coccidia that infect a wide variety of animals and encompass approximately 200 described species. At least four Sarcocystis spp. (S. falcatula, S. neurona, S. lindsayi and S. speeri) use opossums (Didelphis spp.) as definitive hosts, and two of them, S. neurona and S. falcatula, are known to cause disease in horses and birds, respectively. Opossums are restricted to the Americas, but their distribution in the Americas is heterogeneous. Five Didelphis spp. are distributed in South America (D. aurita, D. albiventris, D. marsupialis, D. imperfecta and D. pernigra) whereas just one opossum species (D. virginiana) is found in North America. Studies conducted in the last decades show that Sarcocystis spp., derived from South American Didelphis spp., have biological and genetic differences in relation to Sarcocystis spp. shed by the North American opossum D. virginiana. The aim of this review was to address the peculiar scenario of Sarcocystis species shed by South American opossums, with a special focus on diagnosis, epidemiology, and animal infections, as well as the genetic characteristics of these parasites.
Topics: Animals; Birds; Didelphis; Horse Diseases; Horses; Opossums; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis; South America
PubMed: 34259741
DOI: 10.1590/S1984-29612021059 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Apr 2015Recurrent outbreaks of muscular sarcocystosis among tourists visiting islands in Malaysia have focused international attention on sarcocystosis, a disease once... (Review)
Review
Recurrent outbreaks of muscular sarcocystosis among tourists visiting islands in Malaysia have focused international attention on sarcocystosis, a disease once considered rare in humans. Sarcocystis species require two hosts, definitive and intermediate, to complete their life cycle. Humans can serve as definitive hosts, with intestinal sarcocystosis for two species acquired from eating undercooked meat: Sarcocystis hominis, from beef, and Sarcocystis suihominis, from pork. Symptoms such as nausea, stomachache, and diarrhea vary widely depending on the number of cysts ingested but appear more severe with pork than with beef. Humans serve as intermediate hosts for Sarcocystis nesbitti, a species with a reptilian definitive host, and possibly other unidentified species, acquired by ingesting sporocysts from feces-contaminated food or water and the environment; infections have an early phase of development in vascular endothelium, with illness that is difficult to diagnose; clinical signs include fever, headache, and myalgia. Subsequent development of intramuscular cysts is characterized by myositis. Presumptive diagnosis based on travel history to tropical regions, elevated serum enzyme levels, and eosinophilia is confirmed by finding sarcocysts in muscle biopsy specimens. There is no vaccine or confirmed effective antiparasitic drug for muscular sarcocystosis, but anti-inflammatory drugs may reduce symptoms. Prevention strategies are also discussed.
Topics: Animals; Enzymes; Humans; Intestines; Life Cycle Stages; Meat; Muscles; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis; Travel
PubMed: 25715644
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00113-14 -
Journal of Parasitic Diseases :... Apr 2013Sarcocystis spp. are a group of tissue cyst-forming coccidia which infect a vast range of animals as well as human beings. Found frequently in animal carcasses at... (Review)
Review
Sarcocystis spp. are a group of tissue cyst-forming coccidia which infect a vast range of animals as well as human beings. Found frequently in animal carcasses at slaughter, undermining their value, they have also been found associated with clinical disease. Dogs and cats are involved in the transmission. Studies in India point to a vast reservoir of infection with high prevalence rates in various livestock species. However, there is a glaring paucity of reports on the horse and Sarcocystis of the camel has remained totally unexplored so far. At least two different Sarcocystis spp. can parasitize each livestock host species. Experimental transmission studies have provided additional parameters for distinguishing the species. The clinical symptoms are generally non-specific and diagnosis in the living animal, by the presently available means, is almost impossible. Immunodiagnosis till now is beset with problem of cross-reactivity. Treatment with anti-coccidials presently tried do not seem satisfactory. Of the two zoonotic species with cattle-man and pig-man cycles, only the latter seems of some significance in India due to backyard pig-rearing and slaughter practices. It is a paradox that despite high prevalence of S. suihominis in pigs, reports of human cases are limited. This and some of the existing grey areas of information in the Indian context, have been highlighted as also possible directions for future research.
PubMed: 24431532
DOI: 10.1007/s12639-012-0135-y -
Parasite (Paris, France) 2020Three cyst-forming Sarcocystis species have been identified in horsemeat; however, there exists considerable confusion concerning their relationships. Here, 74% (34/46)...
Three cyst-forming Sarcocystis species have been identified in horsemeat; however, there exists considerable confusion concerning their relationships. Here, 74% (34/46) of the examined tissue samples from horses contained sarcocysts based on examination by light microscopy (LM), and the organism was identified as Sarcocystis bertrami based on cyst structure. The S. bertrami cysts were microscopic (up to 6750 μm in length) and exhibited a striated wall with 2.0-5.1 μm villar protrusions (vps) under LM. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations showed that the vps were tightly packed, similar to "type 11c". Four genetic markers (18S, 28S, ITS1 and the mitochondrial cox1 gene) of S. bertrami were sequenced and analyzed. The 28S and ITS1 sequences are the first records for Sarcocystis in horses. The newly obtained sequences of the 18S and cox1 genes both shared the highest similarities with those of S. bertrami and S. fayeri obtained from horses. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 18S, 28S and cox1 sequences revealed that S. bertrami and S. fayeri formed an independent clade within a group comprising Sarcocystis spp. from ruminants and pigs. Therefore, S. bertrami and S. fayeri are considered to represent the same species of Sarcocystis in horses, and S. fayeri is a junior synonym of Sarcocystis bertrami.
Topics: Animals; China; DNA, Ribosomal; Genes, Mitochondrial; Genetic Variation; Horse Diseases; Horses; Phylogeny; Prevalence; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis
PubMed: 31908266
DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019078 -
Journal of Parasitic Diseases :... Mar 2022species are intracellular protozoan which mostly complete their life cycle in two hosts. The parasite has a significant economic, medical and veterinary impact in many...
species are intracellular protozoan which mostly complete their life cycle in two hosts. The parasite has a significant economic, medical and veterinary impact in many regions of the world and considered as a significant health problem in Iran. However, most of infections are asymptomatic and mortality is extremely rare. The present study aimed to determine the molecular phylogeny of the species isolated from sheep slaughtered in southwest Iran, using mitochondrial DNA sequences of 18 S rRNA gene. The DNA was extracted from sheep muscular tissue (n = 60), and partial sequence of 18 S rDNA was amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two monophyletic clades representing (n = 3) and spp. (n = 3). BI posterior probability and MP bootstrap values strongly supported the monophyly of these clades. In conclusion, phylogenetic analysis of species using 18 S rRNA gene could be helpful in identifying the new species of the .
PubMed: 35299931
DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01433-7 -
Medecine Et Sante Tropicales 2015
Topics: Disease Outbreaks; Humans; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis
PubMed: 26114199
DOI: No ID Found -
Parasites & Vectors Mar 2018Members of the genus Sarcocystis (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) are intracellular protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals, resulting in... (Review)
Review
Members of the genus Sarcocystis (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) are intracellular protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of domestic and wild animals, resulting in economic losses in production animals worldwide. Sarcocystis spp. have indirect life-cycles where canids and felids serve as main definitive hosts while a range of domestic and wild animals serve as intermediate hosts, including South American camelids (SACs) such as alpacas, llamas and guanacos. These animals primarily occur in South American countries on Andean, elevated plains but in recent years, alpacas and llamas have become emerging animal industries in other parts of the world such as Australia, Europe and the USA due to their high-quality fiber, meat and hides. For instance, alpaca meat is becoming popular in many parts of the world due to its lower cholesterol content than other red meat, thereby it has the potential of a valuable product for both local and international markets. However, SAC meat can be degraded and/or even condemned due to the presence of macroscopic sarcocysts in skeletal muscles, leading to significant economic losses to farmers. The infection is generally asymptomatic, though highly pathogenic or even fatal Sarcocystis infections have also been reported in alpacas and llamas. Despite the economic importance of sarcocystosis in SACs, little is known about the life-cycle of parasites involved, disease transmission, epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, control and public health significance. This review article provides an in-depth analysis of the existing knowledge on the taxonomy, epidemiology, clinicopathology and diagnosis of Sarcocystis in SACs, highlights knowledge gaps and proposes future areas of research that could contribute to our better understanding of sarcocystosis in these animals.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Animals, Wild; Australia; Camelidae; Camelids, New World; Europe; Red Meat; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystosis; South America; United States
PubMed: 29510746
DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2748-1