First molecular identification of Sarcocystis hirsuta in Iranian beef: A case report

Introduction: The main agents of sarcocystosis in cattle as an intermediate host include S. cruzi, S. hominis and S. hirsuta. A sensitive and specific tool such as molecular-based techniques would be necessary to identify the species. Case report: After collection of beef sample from Yazd slaughterhouse, DNA extraction was done with salting out method. The 18SrRNA gene as a specific target gene was used for molecular detection of Sarcocystis spp, then Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphysm (RFLP) analysis identified the speciesusing Rsa and Bfa. Results showed that our designed molecular method could identify S. hirsuta in beef sample. Conclusion: Based on our knowledge, this study indicates the first report of molecular identification of S. hirsuta in Iran.