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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Virus and Prion Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99581
Title: PREVALENCE OF SARCOCYSTIS KIRKPATRICKI SARCOCYSTS IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND STRIATED MUSCLES OF RACCOONS FROM EASTERN UNITED STATES

Author
item Hamir, Amirali
item DUBEY, J - USDA,ARS,BELTSVILLE, MD.
item RUPPRECHT, C - T.JEFF.UNIV.,PHIL., PA.

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/8/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: In North America raccoons commonly get infected by a parasite called Sarcocystis kirkpatricki which forms cysts in the heart and other muscles of the body. The prevalence of infection of this parasite appears to be variable. One study in the northeastern USA revealed up to 50% of raccoons to be infected in either the heart, tongue, diaphragm, masseter muscle or the esophagus and a second study reported a prevalence of 66% in raccoons from Illinois. Neither of these studies reported the presence of this parasite in the brain of the raccoons. In this study 760 raccoons were examined. We found presence of this parasite in the brains of 9 raccoons. Six of the raccoons also had the organisms in their skeletal muscles and 1 had them in the heart muscle. No age or gender predisposition was seen. Seven of the raccoons had concurrent viral diseases (canine distemper or rabies). Since these diseases could induce immunosuppression, they may facilitate infection of brain tissue with this parasite.

Technical Abstract: A retrospective survey of 760 raccoons (Procyon lotor) revealed 9 animals with sarcocysts of Sarcocystis kirkpatricki in their brains. Six of the raccoons also had the organisms in their skeletal muscles and 1 had them in the heart muscle. No age or gender predisposition was seen. Seven of the raccoons had concurrent viral diseases (canine distemper or rabies), suggesting that concurrent viral infections in raccoons may facilitate infection of brain tissue with Sarcocystis kirkpatricki.