Detection of Three Sarcocystis Species (Apicomplexa) in Blood Samples of the Bank Vole and Yellow-Necked Mouse from Lithuania

Abstract

The genus <i>Sarcocystis</i> is an abundant group of Apicomplexa parasites found in mammals, birds, and reptiles. These parasites are characterised by the formation of sarcocysts in the muscles of intermediate hosts and the development of sporocysts in the intestines of definitive hosts. The identification of <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. is usually carried out in carcasses of animals, while there is a lack of studies on the detection of <i>Sarcocystis</i> species in blood samples. In the current study, blood samples of 214 yellow-necked mice (<i>Apodemus flavicollis</i>) and 143 bank voles (<i>Clethrionomys glareolus</i>) from Lithuania were examined for <i>Sarcocystis</i>. The molecular identification of <i>Sarcocystis</i> was carried out using nested PCR of <i>cox1</i> and <i>28S</i> rRNA and subsequent sequencing. <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. were statistically (<i>p</i> < 0.01) more frequently detected in the bank vole (6.3%) than in yellow-necked mice (0.9%). The analysed parasites were observed in four different habitats, such as mature deciduous forest, bog, natural meadow, and arable land. Three species, <i>Sarcocystis funereus</i>, <i>Sarcocystis myodes</i>, and <i>Sarcocystis</i> cf. <i>glareoli</i> were confirmed in the bank vole, whereas only <i>Sarcocystis myodes</i> were found in yellow-necked mice. The obtained results are important in the development of molecular identification of <i>Sarcocystis</i> parasites in live animals.