Ondřej Máca1,2, David González-Solís3. 1. Department of Pathology and Parasitology, State Veterinary Institute Prague, Sídlištní 136/24, 165 03, Prague 6, Czech Republic. 2. Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague Suchdol, Czech Republic. 3. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal. Av. Centenario km 5.5, 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. dgonzale@ecosur.mx.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Species of Sarcocystis are parasitic protozoa in poikilothermic and homeothermic animals. Out of the 26 valid species in birds as intermediate hosts, none has been reported in those of the order Musophagiformes, such as the great blue turaco Corythaeola cristata (Vieillot, 1816), which is a bird endemic to Central and Western Africa. The examination of great blue turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to Czech Republic allowed the morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Sarcocystis. METHODS: Four turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to a private breeder (Czech Republic) underwent parasitological examination for the presence of sarcocysts through wet mounts of breast, heart and leg muscles. Found parasites were molecularly and histologically studied by four loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1) and haematoxylin and eosin staining, respectively. RESULTS: Three out of four examined birds harboured numerous sarcocysts in the breast and leg muscles. No macroscopic lesions where observed. Sarcocysts were microscopic, elongate and ribbon-shaped with a wall characterised by the presence of finger-shaped villar protrusions and filled with numerous elongate, banana-shaped bradyzoites, 11.87-14.84 × 2.05-2.92 µm in size. The new species was most closely related to Sarcocystis albifronsi, Sarcocystis anasi, Sarcocystis atraii, Sarcocystis chloropusae, Sarcocystis rileyi, Sarcocystis wenzeli and Sarcocystis sp. isolate from chicken in the four loci. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first species of Sarcocystis found in a musophagiform bird worldwide. Genetically, S. cristata sp. nov. represents a distinct species. Phylogenetic analyses are useful for predicting potential definitive hosts of the new Sarcocystis species.
BACKGROUND: Species of Sarcocystis are parasitic protozoa in poikilothermic and homeothermic animals. Out of the 26 valid species in birds as intermediate hosts, none has been reported in those of the order Musophagiformes, such as the great blue turacoCorythaeola cristata (Vieillot, 1816), which is a bird endemic to Central and Western Africa. The examination of great blue turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to Czech Republic allowed the morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Sarcocystis. METHODS: Four turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to a private breeder (Czech Republic) underwent parasitological examination for the presence of sarcocysts through wet mounts of breast, heart and leg muscles. Found parasites were molecularly and histologically studied by four loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1) and haematoxylin and eosin staining, respectively. RESULTS: Three out of four examined birds harboured numerous sarcocysts in the breast and leg muscles. No macroscopic lesions where observed. Sarcocysts were microscopic, elongate and ribbon-shaped with a wall characterised by the presence of finger-shaped villar protrusions and filled with numerous elongate, banana-shaped bradyzoites, 11.87-14.84 × 2.05-2.92 µm in size. The new species was most closely related to Sarcocystis albifronsi, Sarcocystis anasi, Sarcocystis atraii, Sarcocystis chloropusae, Sarcocystis rileyi, Sarcocystis wenzeli and Sarcocystis sp. isolate from chicken in the four loci. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first species of Sarcocystis found in a musophagiform bird worldwide. Genetically, S. cristata sp. nov. represents a distinct species. Phylogenetic analyses are useful for predicting potential definitive hosts of the new Sarcocystis species.
Entities:
Keywords:
Africa; Aves; Molecular characterization; New species; Sarcocystis
Authors: Petras Prakas; Antonio Bea; Evelina Juozaitytė-Ngugu; Iñaki Olano; Diego Villanúa; Saulius Švažas; Dalius Butkauskas Journal: Parasit Vectors Date: 2021-08-18 Impact factor: 3.876