A study was carried out in order to find out the status of Giardia spp. and Sarcocystis spp. in pet dogs and stray cats of Shiraz, Fars Province of Iran. Faecal samples of 147 pet dogs and 112 stray cats of different age groups, breeds, and sexes were tested. The stools were examined with the following techniques: direct faecal smears using normal saline, zinc sulfate flotation and formalin-ether concentration technique. Out of a total of 147 pet dogs examined, only one case (0.68%) of Giardia spp. was observed. A total of 3 (2.04%) pet dogs were found positive for Sarcocystis spp. Specimens from stray cats were also examined, however no Giardia spp. trophozoite or cyst was observed in these specimens.
Giardia ; Sarcocystis ; Iran ; flotation ; Age Group Unspecified

The cysts of Sarcocystis grueneri were detected and characterized from the cardiac muscles of the Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). Of the 38 heart muscle samples examined by light microscopy, 10 were found infected with the cysts of Sarcocystis sp. The cysts appeared oval to spherical shape and measured 110–380 μm in length and 90–170 μm in width. A phylogenetic tree of the 18S rRNA sequences (1.5 kb) revealed a close relationship of the infected cysts to genus Sarcocystis. The 18S rRNA sequence of the infected cysts showed 100% identity to S. grueneri and 97% to S. capracanis. Here, we first report the S. grueneri infections in the Korean water deer.
Deer ; Microscopy ; Myocardium ; Sarcocystis ; Trees ; Water

Sarcocystis spp is a causative agent of sarcocystosis. They have a characteristic life cycle infecting both prey and predator. Sarcocystis can cause myositis, atrophy of the adjacent cells and abortion in cattle. In mice, sarcocystosis causes mild cellular reactions without clinical disease. Severe haemorrhage and abortion were also reported. For monitoring the disease in wild rodents of the Korean peninsula, we captured Apodemus agrarius chejuensis on Jeju island and examined the specimen histopathologically. Intramuscular cysts were found and diagnosed as Sarcocystis. Sarcocystic infection has been reported in worldwide. There have been many reported infections in cattle and pigs in Korea. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Sarcocystis in Apodemus agrarius chejuensis captured in Korea.
Animals ; Atrophy ; Cattle ; Korea ; Life Cycle Stages ; Mice ; Murinae ; Myositis ; Rodentia ; Sarcocystis ; Sarcocystosis ; Swine

The development of antibody titers and cross reation between Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma were investigated by means of IFA test and ELISA in pigs experimentally infected with 1.5 x 10(6) S. suicanis sporocysts and 10,000 T. gondii oocysts, respectively. The intact and soluble Sarcocystis antigens were prepared from the bradyzoites harvested by peptic digestion of infected pork. The intact and soluble Toxoplasma, antigens were prepared from the tachyzoites in mouse peritoneal cavity. IgG antibodies in pigs infeded with Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma, respectively were detected first at 2 weeks post infection on both IFA test and ELISA. The antibody titer to Toxoplasma reached its maximum at 6 weeks post infection and decreased thereafter. The antibody titer to Sarcocystis reached its maximum terminally. The cross-reaction titer in pigs infected with Toxoplasma against Sarcocystis antigen was up to 1:16 in IFA test and up to 1:32 in ELISA. The titer in control group was below 1:4 in both reactions.
parasitology-protozoa ; Toxoplasma gondii ; Sarcocystis suicanis ; immunology ; diagnosis ; immunofluorescence ; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

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.
Abattoirs ; Actin Cytoskeleton ; Animals ; Cattle ; Heart ; Korea ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Prevalence ; Republic of Korea ; Sarcocystis ; Sequence Analysis

The prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was investigated by gross and histopathological examinations in 250 camels (Camelus dromedarius) slaughtered from 2002 to 2005 in the Mashhad Slaughterhouse, eastern Iran. Samples were taken from the diaphragm, heart, tongue, esophagus and masseter muscles for histopathological studies. No macroscopic sarcocysts were found in the samples at gross inspection. Sarcocysts were detected in 209 of 250 (83.6%) examined camels at histopathological level. The infection rate of the esophagus, heart, masseter muscles, diaphragm, and tongue was 58.8%, 48.0%, 46.8%, 41.6%, and 28.0%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the rate of infection between male (85.8%) and female (81.0%) camels. The tissue response to vital cysts was minimal; however, reaction to the degenerating cysts was severe and caused tissue damages resulting in hyperemia, hemorrhages, mononuclear cell infiltration, necrotic changes, and fibrosis. The wild and domestic carnivores especially dogs may be the final hosts of Sarcocystis spp. in this area.
Animals ; *Camels ; Esophagus/parasitology ; Female ; Heart/parasitology ; Iran/epidemiology ; Male ; Muscle, Skeletal/parasitology ; Prevalence ; Sarcocystis ; Sarcocystosis/complications/epidemiology/*veterinary

Feline parasites were investigated in the area of Suwon in Korea from September to October, 2003. Wild cat had spread to zoonotic parasites, these parasites could cause infection with a person. People have a lot of interest in parasite infection of wild cat. This article reviews rate of infection of a parasites and kind of a parasite of wild cats. We will report the critical characteristic features of parasites to a better understanding of the disease. The incidence rates of Toxocara cati, Trichuris felis, Ancylostoma braziliense and Capillaria sp were 37.0, 4.3, 1.1 and 1.1% in nematodes. Those of Taenia taeniaformis and Opisthorchis sp were 2.2 and 1.1% in cestode and trematode. Those of Isospora felis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Sarcocystis sp were 8.7, 9.8, and 2.2% in protozoa. Almost of these were zoonotic parasites without Isospora felis.
Ancylostoma ; Animals ; Capillaria ; Cats ; Cestoda ; Felis ; Humans ; Incidence ; Isospora ; Korea ; Opisthorchis ; Parasites ; Prevalence ; Sarcocystis ; Taenia ; Toxocara ; Toxoplasma ; Trichuris

The genus Sarcocystis is not usually considered as an important enteric pathogen in immune compromised patients. It might be expected that species for which humans are the final host (Sarcocystis hominis and Sarcocystis suihominis as well as possibly others) would be encountered increasingly often in immunodeficient persons. This study aimed to address how to detect and differentiate Sarcocystis oocysts and/or sporocysts from enteric protozoans in the diarrheal samples of immunodeficient patients in Shiraz, Iran. Diarrheal samples of 741 immunodeficient patients with recurrent persistent or chronic diarrhea were examined by microscopy and molecular biological analysis. Oocysts-positive samples were 68 Cryptosporidium spp., 9 Cystoisospora belli (syn. Isospora belli), 2 Cyclospora cayetanensis, and 15 microsporidia (Enterocytozoon bieneusi). Sarcocystis-like sporocysts found from a woman were identified as Sarcocystis cruzi through 18S rDNA amplification and phylogenetic analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of S. cruzi from a human.
Cryptosporidium ; Cyclospora ; Diarrhea ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Female ; Humans ; Iran* ; Isospora ; Microscopy ; Microsporidia ; Oocysts* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prevalence* ; Sarcocystis*

We studied the toxic effects of a Sarcocystis hirsuta cyst extract fed to mice. Degenerative changes were found in mice gavage-fed fresh, frozen, and heat-treated S. hirsuta cyst extract. There were increases in the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase as well as hepatic and brain malondialdehyde (MDA) levels along with concomitant decreases in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of mice receiving fresh and frozen S. hirsuta extracts. Gavage feeding of heat-treated S. hirsuta cyst extract had no effects on liver enzymes or brain MDA content, but the liver MDA level did increase. Mice in the heat-treated cyst group showed reduced CAT and SOD activities as well as increased hepatic MDA levels compared to those in the control group. These results indicate that an extract of S. hirsuta cyst can induce oxidative stress and hepatic injury, even after heat treatment.
Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Brain ; Catalase ; Cats ; Hot Temperature ; Liver ; Malondialdehyde ; Mice ; Oxidative Stress ; Sarcocystis ; Superoxide Dismutase

Eight dogs were experimentally infected with Sarcocystis by oral inoculation of cardiac muscle from naturally infected cattle. The infected dogs commenced discharging of sporocysts in the feces after 10 to 12 days of inoculation, and continued until 20 and 35 days after inoculation. Three dogs were reinfected with cardiac muscle from the naturally infected cattle. Sporocysts reappeared in the feces on 12 to 13 days after reinfection. Sarcocystis sporocysts collected from the experimentally infected dogs were fed to each of the two 30-day-old Korean native calves. The infected calves remained clinically normal, except for the high fever (> or = 40 degrees C) and decreased hematocrit values on day 30 to 40 post inoculation. Muscular cysts of Sarcocystis were found from infected calves on day 40 post inoculation. Proliferative forms of Sarcocystis were also observed in the muscle of infected calves. These results suggest that the Sarcocystis cruzi found in Korean native cattle has a 2-host life cycle with dogs as the definitive host and Korean native calves as the intermediate host.
Animals ; Cattle ; Cattle Diseases/*parasitology ; Dog Diseases/*parasitology ; Dogs/*parasitology ; Host-Parasite Relations ; Korea ; *Life Cycle Stages ; Sarcocystis/*growth & development/isolation & purification ; Sarcocystosis/*parasitology/*veterinary