EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ETIOLOGY IN SHEEP SARCOCYSTOSIS

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence, intensity of infection and etiology of sarcocystosis in sheep slaughtered in two abattoirs . The prevalence of intestinal sarcocystosis in nat urally infected dogs and cats were also explored. Development of sporocysts in the small intestine of dogs an d cats has also been investigated. The presence of macrocysts was observed in 10/38 carcasses being noticed only in esophagus. Concerning the prevalence of microcysts, the highest prevalence was observed in esophagus ( 81.6%), followed by myocardium (79.9%) and diaphragm (68.8%). In myocardium there was the highest number of mycrocysts (162 microcysts/g muscle tissue). The prevalence of intestinal sarcocystosis in natur ally infected dogs and cats was 1.1%, respectively 1.8%. The pre- patent period in experimentally infected dogs was 1 2 days and the patent period lasted 60 days. At the micros copic exam (40X) there were noticed a mean of 4 sporocysts/microscopic field at 17 days post-inocul ation. The size of sporocysts was 15.14±0.72/10.26± 0.69 µm. No sporocysts were shed by cats. The microcysts were identify as Sarcocystis ovicanis (S. tenella ).