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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #323245
Title: Sarcocystis masoni, n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae), and redescription of Sarcocystis aucheniae from llama (Lama glama), guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and alpaca (Vicugna pacos)

Author
item MORE, GASTON - National University Of La Plata And Museum
item REGENSBURGER, CRISTIAN - Universidad Nacional De La Patagonia Austral
item GOS, LAURA - National University Of La Plata And Museum
item PARDINI, LAIS - National University Of La Plata And Museum
item VERMA, SHIV - Orise Fellow
item CTIBOR, JULIANA - Universidad Nacional De La Patagonia Austral
item SERRANO-MARTINEZ, ENRIQUE - Universidad Peruana
item Dubey, Jitender
item VENTURINI, CECILIA - National University Of La Plata And Museum

Submitted to: Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2016
Publication Date: 4/16/2016
Citation: More, G., Regensburger, C., Gos, L.M., Pardini, L., Verma, S.K., Ctibor, J., Serrano-Martinez, E., Dubey, J.P., Venturini, C. 2016. Sarcocystis masoni, n. sp. (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae), and redescription of Sarcocystis aucheniae from llama (Lama glama), guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and alpaca (Vicugna pacos). Parasitology. 143(5):617-26.

Interpretive Summary: Zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma, and related parasite Sarcocystis continues to be of public health concern. Sarcocystis is a single celled parasite. Two of the Sarcocystis species, S. hominis and S. suihominis are transmissible to humans by eating raw/undercooked beef or pork, respectively. Illness has been reported in humans after ingesting Sarcocystis infected of other food animals, considered to be allergic or toxic reaction to Sarcocystis parasites. The South American camelids (Llama, Alpaca, guanaco) are economically important animals and their popularity as companion animals in America is increasing. Carcasses are condemned because of grossly visible sarcocysts in meat. Here, we report the prevalence of Sarcocystis in American camelids, with a description of a new species, Sarcocystis masoni. The results will be of interest to veterinarians, biologists, and parasitologists.

Technical Abstract: There is considerable confusion concerning the species of Sarcocystis in South American camelids (SAC). Several species names have been used, however, proper descriptions are lacking. In the present paper we redescribe the macroscopic sarcocyst forming Sarcocystis aucheniae and describe and name the microscopic sarcocyst forming species as Sarcocystis masoni n. sp. Muscles samples were obtained from llamas (Lama glama) and guanacos (Lama guanicoe) from Argentina and from alpacas (Vicugna pacos) and llamas from Peru. Individual cysts were processed by optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and molecular studies. Microscopic cysts of S. masoni were up to 800 µm long and 35-95 µm wide, the sarcocyst wall was 2.5-3.5 µm thick, and had conical to cylindrical villar protrusions (vp)with several microtubules. Each vp had 11 or more rows of knob-like projections. Seven 18S rRNA gene sequences obtained revealed 96-95% sequence identity with other Sarcocystis spp. previously reported. Phylogenetical analysis positioned S. masoni sequences in the same branch as other Sarcocystis spp. using canids as definitive hosts. Sarcocysts of S. aucheniae were macroscopic, up to 1.2 cm long.Cysts were frequently surrounded by a dense and laminar 50 µm thick capsule. The cyst wall was up to 10 µm thick, and had branched villar protrusions (vp), appearing like cauliflower. Comparison of the 11 sequences obtained from macroscopic cysts evidenced a 98-99 % of sequence homology with other S. aucheniae sequences. All the S. aucheniae sequences aligned in a separated branch from other Sarcocystis spp. which used canids as definitive host. In conclusion, 2 morphologically and molecularly different Sarcocystis species S. masoni (microscopic cysts) and S. aucheniae (macroscopic cysts), were identified affecting different SAC from Argentina and Peru.