Effects of heating and freezing on the viability of sarcocysts of Sarcocystis levinei from cardiac tissues of buffaloes.

Dogs fed buffalo heart muscle containing sarcocysts of Sarcosystis levinei and heated at 65-75 degrees C did not shed sporocysts, whereas other dogs fed infected heart muscle heated between 40 and 60 degrees C shed sporocysts. Dogs fed infected heart muscle stored at -4 degrees C for 48 h did not shed sporocysts, but those fed similar infected tissues stored at -2 degrees C for 24 h shed sporocysts. The results indicate that sarcocysts of S. levinei are rendered noninfective by heating to 65 degrees C or by freezing at -4 degrees C.