Transformation of oocysts from several coccidian species by heat treatment.

The transformation of sporocysts in oocysts of Eimeria caviae, E. intestinalis, E. nieschulzi, E. separata, E. tenella, Isospora canis, I. heydorni, and Toxoplasma gondii by heat treatment was examined. Fresh unsporulated oocysts from these species were heated at 50 degrees or 55 degrees C for less than 5 min and cultivated at 25 degrees C for 1 week. No transformation of sporocysts was observed in the sporulated oocysts following heating at 55 degrees C, but sporulated oocysts of Tyzzeria and Caryospora types were found in some I. canis and I. heydorni oocysts after heating at 50 degrees C followed by cultivation. A few sporulated oocysts of the Isospora type were observed in E. intestinalis oocysts after cultivation. All transformed sporulated oocysts contained eight sporozoites. In contrast, the number of sporocysts varied from two to 0. These results indicate that sporocyst formation in oocysts was affected by heat treatment. The relationship between the total numbers of sporozoites and sporocysts in the transformed oocysts was consistent with that of the "Octozoic" group classified by Hoare.