Molecular identification of sarcocysts from tissue of fallow deer (Dama dama) farmed in the open pasture system based on ssu rRNA gene

Abstract

Purpose Sarcocystis spp. are protozoan parasites of livestock which also infect birds, lower vertebrates and mammals, including man. Wild and domestic ruminants such as red deer, roe deer, fallow deer, cattle, sheep and goats may act as intermediate hosts for many Sarcocystis species, some of which are significant pathogens causing sarcocystosis in livestock and humans. The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of Sarcocystis species in fallow deer farmed in an open pasture system. Methods Samples of heart and oesophagus tissue taken from five fallow deer were examined by light microscope for the presence of sarcocysts. Genomic DNA was extracted from individual sarcocysts. ssu rRNA was successfully amplified using their DNA as templates. Results Analysis of the ssu rRNA identified the presence of two S. morae sarcocysts in the heart tissue; similarly, S. gracilis sarcocysts were identified in the heart and oesophagus, and Sarcocystis sp. most closely related to S. linearis and S. taeniata were detected in oseophagus. Conclusions These findings confirm the presence of Sarcocystis spp. in farmed fallow deer in Poland; however, more molecular studies are needed.

Sarcocystis cruzi infection in free-living European bison (Bison bonasus bonasus L.) from the Białowieża Forest, Poland – A molecular analysis based on the cox1 gene

“…The basic morphology (shape, size) of any cysts present were examined in wet mounts and collected under an inverted Olympus IX50 microscope fitted with a camera. The sarcocyst was individually preserved in sterile H 2 O in Eppendorf tubes for molecular investigation and stored at − 20 °C ( Cabaj et al, 2020 ).…”

A Review on Alaria alata, Toxoplasma gondii and Sarcocystis spp. in Mammalian Game Meat Consumed in Europe: Epidemiology, Risk Management and Future Directions

“…The Sarcocystis species were intensively studied in cervids [147], a taxonomic group in which this parasitic genus appears to be poorly host specific [148][149][150] and for which the definitive hosts and many epidemiological aspects are still unknown [151]. To date, at least 11 different Sarcocystis species, forming sarcocysts of five major morphological types, have been molecularly characterized in European red deers [135,148,152] (Table 2).…”

“…Although Sarcocystis spp. have been identified in fallow deer in older studies, in Germany, Italy, Austria and Spain (detailed in de Las Cuevas [149] and Cabaj et al [147]), the species were only morphologically described by and not identified by molecular methods. On the contrary, more recent studies applying DNA-based techniques found three identified species in this host: S. morae, S. entzerothi and S. gracilis (Table 2).…”

“…Sarcocystis gracilis and S. entzerothi had previously been reported from the roe deer in Italy and in Lithuania, respectively [134,154]. In Poland, all tested young fallow deer presented Sarcocystis spp., suggesting that a single year on the pastures was sufficient to become infected [147].…”

“…Wildlife may harbor yet undiscovered zoonotic species for which people might serve as definitive hosts (following ingestion of sarcocysts) or even as accidental intermediate hosts (following ingestion of sporocysts) [132,166]. Recent outbreaks of "food poisoning" following consumption of Sarcocystis infected venison (deer) were described in Japan [168,169], suggesting a potential public health significance of Sarcocystis in cervids, which is so far poorly known [147]. In the first case, a 67-year-old Japanese man had eaten raw venison 4 h prior to the beginning of the symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and fever), which recovered in 24 h. Many white cysts containing bradyzoites, subsequently identified as S. truncata on the basis of the 18S rRNA, were found in venison meat [168].…”