Sarcocystis spp. in domestic sheep in Kunming City, China: prevalence, morphology, and molecular characteristics

• Published in: Parasite (Paris) Vol. 24; p. 30
• Main Authors: Hu, Jun-Jie, Huang, Si, Wen, Tao, Esch, Gerald W, Liang, Yu, Li, Hong-Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: France EDP Sciences 2017
• Subjects: Animals; Caprinae; China; China - epidemiology; DNA, Protozoan - chemistry; DNA, Protozoan - isolation & purification; DNA, Ribosomal Spacer - genetics; Domestic animals; Electron Transport Complex IV - genetics; Genetic Markers; Goats; Markers; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission - veterinary; Mitochondria; Mitochondria - enzymology; Molecular chains; Molecular characteristics; Morphology; Muscles - parasitology; Ovis aries; Phylogeny; Physical characteristics; Prevalence; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S - genetics; rRNA 18S; rRNA 28S; Sarcocystis; Sarcocystis - classification; Sarcocystis - genetics; Sarcocystis - isolation & purification; Sarcocystis - ultrastructure; Sarcocystosis - epidemiology; Sarcocystosis - parasitology; Sarcocystosis - veterinary; Sheep; Sheep Diseases - epidemiology; Sheep Diseases - parasitology; Species; China
• ISSN: 1776-1042; 1252-607X; 1776-1042
• DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2017025

Sheep (Ovis aries) are intermediate hosts for at least six named species of Sarcocystis: S. tenella, S. arieticanis, S. gigantea, S. medusiformis, S. mihoensis, and S. microps. Here, only two species, S. tenella and S. arieticanis, were found in 79 of 86 sheep (91.9%) in Kunming, China, based on their morphological characteristics. Four genetic markers, i.e., 18S rRNA gene, 28S rRNA gene, mitochondrial cox1 gene, and ITS-1 region, were sequenced and characterized for the two species of Sarcocystis. Sequences of the three former markers for S. tenella shared high identities with those of S. capracanis in goats, i.e., 99.0%, 98.3%, and 93.6%, respectively; the same three marker sequences of S. arieticanis shared high identities with those of S. hircicanis in goats, i.e., 98.5%, 96.5%, and 92.5%, respectively. No sequences in GenBank were found to significantly resemble the ITS-1 regions of S. tenella and S. arieticanis. Identities of the four genetic markers for S. tenella and S. arieticanis were 96.3%, 95.4%, 82.5%, and 66.2%, respectively.