First report of Sarcocystis falcatula in naturally infected Razorbill auks (Alca torda) collected in Tunisian Mediterranean Sea shores.
Parasitol Res
; 123(4): 193, 2024 Apr 24.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38656629
ABSTRACT
Sarcocystis spp. are apicomplexan cyst-forming parasites that can infect numerous vertebrates, including birds. Sarcosporidiosis infection was investigated in three muscles (breast, right and left thigh muscle) and one organ (heart) of four Razorbill auks (Alca torda) stranded between November and December 2022 on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Nabeul and Bizerte governorates, Northern Tunisia. Two of the four tested A. torda were PCR positive for 18S rRNA Sarcocystis spp. gene. Among the examined 16 muscles/organs, only one breast and one right thigh were Sarcocystis spp. PCR-positive (12.5% ± 8.3, 2/16). Our results showed a relatively high molecular prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in Razorbill auks (A. torda). Sarcocystis spp. sequence described in the present study (GenBank number OR516818) showed 99.56-100% identity to Sarcocystis falcatula. In conclusion, our results confirmed the infection of Razorbill auks (A. torda) by S. falcatula. Further research is needed on different migratory seabirds' species in order to identify other Sarcocystis species.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S
/
Sarcocystis
/
Sarcocystosis
Limits:
Animals
Country/Region as subject:
Africa
Language:
En
Journal:
Parasitol Res
Journal subject:
PARASITOLOGIA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: