Sarcosporidian cysts in the skeletal muscle of domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica) have previously been attributed to infection with Sarcocystis falcatula, which is shed in the faeces of the opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Here, we describe fatal spontaneous encephalitis and myositis associated with Sarcocystis infections in three flocks of racing pigeons with 47 of 244 animals affect...

Phlebiopsis gigantea (=Phanerochaete gigantea) is a white rot fungus that rapidly colonizes cut stumps, stems, and branches of pine. Two laboratory and several field studies showed that inoculation of red pine logs, Pinus resinosa, with P. gigantea reduced the pitch content of wood, facilitated bark removal, modified wood cells, and controlled detrimental sapstain. Isolations from inoculated lo...

Sarcocystis infections have been reported from the African buffalo ( Syncerus caffer ), but the species have not been named. Here we propose a new name Sarcocystis cafferi from the African buffalo. Histological examination of heart (92), skeletal muscle (36), and tongue (2) sections from 94 buffalos from the Greater Kruger National Park, South Africa, and a review of the literature revealed onl...

There is considerable confusion concerning Sarcocystis species in camels. Five species: Sarcocystis cameli, Sarcocystis ippeni, Sarcocystis camelicanis, Sarcocystis camelocanis and Sarcocystis miescheri were named with inadequate descriptions and no type specimens. Here, we review literature on sarcocystosis in camels worldwide and redescribe structure of S. cameli and S. ippeni sarcocysts by l...

Species of Sarcocystis are Apicomplexan parasites requiring intermediate and definitive hosts to complete their life cycle. Humans are one of many natural host species and may serve as both intermediate and definitive hosts. However, the extent and public health significance of human Sarcocystis infection are incompletely known. In this minireview, we provide an update on the epidemiology and d...

Prophylactic stump treatment with Phlebiopsis gigantea has been used for a long time in the biological control of the conifer pathogen, Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato. However, the mechanisms underlying the biocontrol process are poorly understood. A total of 64 isolates of P. gigantea from different geographical regions were screened for fungal traits (growth rate, enzyme production, wood d...

Parasites of the genus Sarcocystis have the ability to infect wide range of animals, birds and reptiles. Water buffaloes are intermediate hosts for four Sarcocystis species; S. fusiformis, S. buffalonis, S. levinei and S. dubeyi. There was no previous molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. parasitizing water buffaloes from Egypt. The current study was established to screen infection rates...

BACKGROUND The objective of the present study was to survey the presence of Sarcocystis in sheep's brain in North Khorasan Province. METHODS In general, 80 samples of sheep's brain were collected from slaughtered sheep in slaughterhouses of North Khorasan Province. Tissue digestion method was used for observing bradyzoites in tissues. Histopathological processing tracing Sarcocystis and ensui...

A total of 479 stool specimens were collected from rural communities of Ubon Ratchathani Province, Thailand and examined by two techniques: the modified Kato thick smear and the direct smear. The prevalence of Opisthorchis viverrini (14.8%), hookworm (10.2%), Sarcocystis spp (4.6%), Taenia spp (2.9%), Strongyloides stercoralis (2.1%), Giardia lamblia (1.2%), Echinostoma spp (0.6%), Ascaris lumb...

A morphological type of Sarcocystis cysts found in one of two examined great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (Linnaeus) (Laridae), is considered to represent a new species for which the name Sarcocystis lari sp. n. is proposed and its description is provided. The cysts are ribbon-shaped, very long (the largest fragment found was 6 mm long) and relatively narrow (up to 75 microm). Under a light...