Morphological and molecular characterization of a Sarcocystis bovifelis-like sarcocyst in American beef.

Background: Parasites in the apicomplexan genus Sarcocystis infect cattle worldwide. Assessing the economic importance of each such parasite species requires proper diagnosis. Sarcocystis cruzi, a thin-walled species, infects virtually all cattle.

MOLECULAR CONFIRMATION OF WOLF (CANIS LUPUS) AS A NATURAL DEFINITIVE HOST FOR SARCOCYSTIS CRUZI OF CATTLE, SARCOCYSTIS MEHLHORNI OF DEER, AND SARCOCYSTIS WENZELI OF CHICKENS.

As predators of a wide variety of livestock and wildlife species, wolves (Canis lupus) could serve as definitive hosts for species of Sarcocystis parasites infecting many intermediate hosts. Sarcocystis sporocysts have been observed in the feces of wolves fed infected beef before, but genetic tools have not yet definitively identified which species of parasites they harbor, impairing understanding of their contribution to infections in wild and domesticated intermediate hosts. Therefore, we genetically characterized sporocysts derived from a small sample of naturally infected wolves in Minnesota.

Zero-Valent Iron and Sand Filtration Reduces Levels of Surrogates, and , in Water.

Recurring outbreaks of cyclosporiasis linked to fresh produce demonstrate the need to develop interventions to reduce in irrigation water. is resistant to commonly used irrigation water treatments, such as chemical sanitizers, making removal of oocysts by filtration the most suitable intervention. This study evaluated the reduction of and , as surrogates for , in water using filters packed with sand alone or mixtures of sand and zero-valent iron (ZVI).

HEPATOZOON RUFI N. SP. (APICOMPLEXA: HEPATOZOIDAE) OF BOBCATS (LYNX RUFUS) FROM MISSISSIPPI.

Hepatozoon sp. stages were detected in histological sections of the muscles of 11 of 25 bobcats (Lynx rufus). Parasites were detected from the myocardium of 11, tongues of 4, and limb muscles of 5 of these animals, which had been hunted in Mississippi in 2017.

Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) identified as a new intermediate host for Sarcocystis neurona.

The protozoan Sarcocystis neurona can cause severe disease in horses, marine mammals, and several other animal species in North America. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is its definitive host, and the raccoon (Procyon lotor) has been considered its primary intermediate host in the USA. Although canids have not previously been identified as important intermediate hosts for this parasite, we here report several natural cases in the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus).