Molecularly Confirmed Acute, Fatal<i>Sarcocystis falcatula</i>Infection in the Rainbow Lorikeets (<i>Trichoglossus moluccanus</i>) at the Philadelphia Zoo

Verma, S.; Trupkiewicz, John G.; georoff, tim

doi:10.1645/18-78

Cited by 14 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…This clade includes sequence from S . falcatula detected in lethal infections of Lorikeet ( Trichoglossus moluccanus ) (MH626538) [13]. A phylogenetic reconstruction with these sequences and with representatives of S .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As pointed above, Sarcocystis from the studies of Gondim et al [33] and Cesar et al [34] and the parasites detected in Magellanicus penguins are presumably to belong to the same species. In the United States, non-American psittacines of the species Trichoglossus moluccanus were diagnosed with lethal sarcocistosis [13] and ITS1 sequences of the parasites were close related to the homologous from Sarcocystis found in Magellanicus penguins. In this work, the authors classified the coccidian in the species S .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sarcocystis falcatula , which stands out among the Sarcocystis species pathogenic to birds, causes a severe respiratory disease. The disease has been described in captive psittacids and other orders of birds in captivity, such as Psittaciformes, Passeriformes, Columbiformes, Suliformes and Strigiformes [8–10], but is rarely observed in free-living birds [10–13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence of tissue cyst forming coccidia in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) rescued on the coast of Brazil

et al. 2018

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The main motivation for this study was to determine the occurrence of Toxoplasma gondii, a cosmopolitan widespread zoonotic parasite distribution that can infect a wide variety of mammals and birds, in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) in Brazil. In recent decades there has been a significant increase in the number of penguins originating from Argentinian and Chilean Patagonia, where these birds are born, that arrive on the Brazilian coast, where many of them are stranded and rescued. Tissue samples were collected from 330 individuals surveyed from 2012–2015 at the Institute for Marine Animal Research and Rehabilitation (IPRAM) located in Cariacica, state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Serum were collected from 145 animals surveyed in 2015 for the detection of anti-T. gondii antibodies using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT ≥20) and 18 birds were positive, with titers of 20 (7 birds), 40 (9 birds) and 80 (2 birds). Mouse bioassay for the isolation of T. gondii was performed using tissues from 54 penguins that were also surveyed in 2015, but no isolates were obtained. DNA from tissue samples of 330 individuals was PCR amplified and sequenced to detect tissue cyst forming coccidians by using pan sarcocystids-directed primers (based on 18S rDNA). These samples were from animals surveyed in 2015 and from frozen stocked tissues from animals surveyed in the years 2012 and 2013. The positives were PCR amplified and sequenced with genus Sarcocystis-specific primers (based on internal transcribed spacer 1, RNA polymerase beta subunit coding gene, and cytochrome B coding gene) and with Sarcocystis falcatula/Sarcocystis neurona- specific primers (based on surface antigens SAG2, SAG3 and SAG4). Sixteen (3.0%) of pectoral muscle samples were positive by all the seven molecular markers and all the samples were identical to each other. Organisms close related to Sarcocystis falcatula were confirmed in all cases. This is the first report on molecular detection of infection by S. falcatula-related organisms and the first report of seropositivity for T. gondii in free-living Magellanic penguins in Brazil. Felids and didephid opossums are definitive hosts of T. gondii and S. falcatula, respectively. Where the penguins acquire the infective forms of the parasites shed by the terrestrial mammals remains to be elucidated.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Occurrence of tissue cyst forming coccidia in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) rescued on the coast of Brazil

et al. 2018

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“…Brain tissue samples were positive by all nested PCRs and the results of the multilocus analysis revealed the presence of S. neurona, which was called as S. neurona-07-2015-RS-BR. The complete nucleotide sequence of the nPCR-18S amplicon of S. neurona-07-2015-RS-BR (783 nucleotides, primers excluded) disclosed 100% identity and 100% coverage to S. speeri detected in opossums from Argentina (KT207459), and 99.87% identity and 100% coverage to S. falcatula detected in fatal Sarcocystis infection in the Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) (isolate Lorikeet #205850, MH626537) (Verma et al 2018). A G-A substitution differs S. neurona-07-2015-RS-BR and S. falcatula isolate Lorikeet #205850 at nucleotide position 30 (taking MH626537 as reference).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona causing meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat in Brazil

et al. 2020

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Sarcocystis neurona is the main agent associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Apart from horses, S. neurona has been occasionally described causing neurologic disease in several other terrestrial animals as well as mortality in marine mammals. Herein, we describe the clinical, pathological, and molecular findings of a fatal case of S. neurona-associated meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat. The causing agent was analyzed by multilocus genotyping, confirming the presence of S. neurona DNA in the tissue samples of the affected animal. Significant molecular differences were found in relation to S. neurona isolates detected in other regions of the Americas. In addition, the parasite was identical to Sarcocystis sp. identified in opossum sporocysts in Brazil at molecular level, which suggests that transmission of. S. neurona in Brazil might involve variants of the parasite different from those found elsewhere in the Americas. Studies including more samples of S. neurona would be required to test this hypothesis, as well as to assess the impact of this diversity.

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“…Sequencing of the entire PCR- 18S nested products of Sarco-BA1, which corresponds to 825 bp (primers included), disclosed a 100% identity and 100% coverage to S. falcatula detected in a confirmed acute, fatal Sarcocystis infection in the Rainbow Lorikeets ( Trichoglossus moluccanus ) (Verma et al, 2018) (GenBank accession number: MH626537, from nucleotide position 12–794). Only a G-A substitution differs Sarco-BA1 from S. speeri KT207459 at nucleotide position 30 (taking KT207459 as reference).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sarcocystis falcatula-like derived from opossum in Northeastern Brazil: In vitro propagation in avian cells, molecular characterization and bioassay in birds

Gondim

Soares

Tavares

et al. 2019

International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife

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Most reported isolates of Sarcocystis spp. derived from Brazilian opossums ( Didelphis sp.) have genetic characteristics distinct from the known species of Sarcocystis , but behave similarly as Sarcocystis falcatula , as they are infective to budgerigars. In previous studies, these Brazilian isolates, classified as Sarcocystis falcatula -like, were originated from South and Southeast regions of Brazil. In the current work, we aimed to culture and to perform multilocus sequence analysis of Sarcocystis sp. derived from a Brazilian opossum ( D. aurita / D. marsupialis ) that inhabited the city of Salvador, Bahia, in the Northeast of Brazil. The parasite was isolated in Vero cells, referred here as Sarco-BA1, and propagated in avian cells (DF-1). Molecular analysis of Sarco-BA1 revealed that the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of the rDNA was identical to all isolates (n = 19) of Sarcocystis spp. reported in two studies from South and Southeast regions of the country. Two budgerigars were inoculated with 10 and 1000 sporocysts of Sarco-BA1, respectively, and developed acute sarcocystosis, showing that the parasite behaves like S. falcatula . It was interesting to observe that Sarco-BA1 had almost identical ITS1 and SAG sequences to all 16 isolates of S. falcatula -like recently described in Magellanic penguins ( Spheniscus magellanicus ) rescued on the coast of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. Our results suggest that Sarco-BA1 and S. falcatula -like may represent a single species of Sarcocystis . Propagation of the parasite in a permanent avian cell line significantly improved the yield of merozoites in cell culture. To our knowledge, this is the first molecular study and in vitro isolation of S. falcatula -like derived from Northeastern Brazil. Studies are under way to determine the infectivity of Sarco-BA1 to other animal species, as well as to investigate serological cross-reactivity among Sarco-BA1, S. neurona and related species.

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Molecularly Confirmed Acute, FatalSarcocystis falcatulaInfection in the Rainbow Lorikeets (Trichoglossus moluccanus) at the Philadelphia Zoo

Cited by 14 publications

References 7 publications

Occurrence of tissue cyst forming coccidia in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) rescued on the coast of Brazil

Occurrence of tissue cyst forming coccidia in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) rescued on the coast of Brazil

First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona causing meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat in Brazil

Sarcocystis falcatula-like derived from opossum in Northeastern Brazil: In vitro propagation in avian cells, molecular characterization and bioassay in birds

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