Molecular identification of Sarcocystis species in wild boar (Sus scrofa) and pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) in Brazil.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports
; 50: 101020, 2024 05.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38644041
ABSTRACT
Sarcocystis spp. are protozoan parasites that form cysts in the organs and musculature of various animal species. The species Sarcocystis miescheriana and Sarcocystis suihominis are pathogenic to pigs and wild boars (Sus scrofa), acting as intermediate hosts, while humans are the definitive host for S. suihominis. To date, there have been no reports of the identification of these coccidian species in Sus scrofa in Brazil. Therefore, in this study, we conducted the first molecular identification of Sarcocystis species using PCR-RFLP and sequencing. A total of 210 samples were analyzed, of this total, 67 tested positive for Sarcocystis spp., representing 31.9% of the total samples assessed. Out of the total positive samples, 55 (82.1%) were identified as S. miescheriana and 8 (11.9%) as S. suihominis, a zoonotic species. Additionally, other species related to bovines, such as S. cruzi and zoonotic S. hominis, were detected in 3.0% of the samples, serving as contaminants in the pork products. The presence of S. suihominis in swine and wild boar samples is concerning due to the zoonotic risk and potential environmental contamination, as humans act as definitive hosts, also for the presence of S. hominis as a bovine contaminant in pork sausages. Furthermore, we confirmed the efficacy of the PCR-RFLP technique as a reliable tool for the identification of Sarcocystis species, demonstrating its potential use in laboratories for molecular diagnosis and rapid identification of these parasites, aiming to protect public health and ensure food safety.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Swine Diseases
/
Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Sarcocystis
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Sarcocystosis
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Sus scrofa
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Language:
En
Journal:
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Country of publication: