Sarcocystis infections

Huaman, Jose L., Pacioni, Carlo, Forsyth, David M., Pople, Anthony, Hampton, Jordan O., Helbig, Karla J. & Carvalho, Teresa G., 2021, Evaluation of haemoparasite and Sarcocystis infections in Australian wild deer, International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 15, pp. 262-269 : 267

4.4. Sarcocystis infections

Sarcocystis parasites are generally located in striated muscle tissues and the central nervous system of the intermediate hosts. However, the opportunistic nature of the sampling and the specific field conditions of this study proved to be a challenge in obtaining and preserve tissue samples. Sarcocystis parasites penetrate endothelial cells of blood vessels and migrate to muscles tissues through the blood ( Dubey et al., 2016). Therefore, Sarcocystis parasites can be found in the blood and a recent study has successfully detected Sarcocystis parasites in blood samples from domestic llamas ( Lama glama ) in Argentina ( Martin et al., 2016). Thus, in the absence of muscle tissue, blood was considered a suitable sample for our study and used to investigate the presence of Sarcocystis parasites in wild deer. In Australia, the presence of Sarcocystis has been reported in cattle ( Savini et al., 1992), sheep ( Savini et al., 1993), alpacas ( Gabor et al., 2010) and native terrestrial mammals including kangaroos ( Macropus and Osphranter spp. ) and wallabies ( Petrogale and Macropus spp. ) ( Ladds, 2009). However, a previous report of histological examination of 72 muscle samples collected from rusa, sambar, fallow and hog deer in Australia resulted negative for the presence of Sarcocystis parasites ( Munday et al., 1978). Deer are recognised as intermediate hosts for numerous species of Sarcocystis , but it is unknown whether Sarcocystis organisms are host-specific for deer species ( Dubey et al., 2016). Therefore, the need for intensive surveillance of Sarcocystis infection including a variety of tissue samples and multiple detection methods remains.