Bovine sarcocystosis: Sarcocystis species, diagnosis, prevalence, economic and public health considerations, and association of Sarcocystis species with eosinophilic myositis in cattle
{"title":"Bovine sarcocystosis: Sarcocystis species, diagnosis, prevalence, economic and public health considerations, and association of Sarcocystis species with eosinophilic myositis in cattle","authors":"J.P. Dubey, B.M. Rosenthal","doi":"10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.09.009","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Infections by <em>Sarcocystis</em> in cattle are ubiquitous worldwide. There is considerable debate concerning the identity of <em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. in cattle. Proper diagnosis of <em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. is important to assess their economic and public health importance. Currently there are seven named species: <em>Sarcocystis hirsuta, Sarcocystis cruzi, Sarcocystis hominis, Sarcocystis bovifelis, arcocystis heydorni, Sarcocystis bovini</em> and <em>Sarcocystis rommeli</em>. Additionally, there are unnamed <em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. Two species, <em>S. hominis</em> and <em>S. heydorni,</em> are zoonotic. One out of seven species (<em>S. hirsuta,</em> contracted from cats) forms macroscopic cysts which can be visible during carcass inspection. Current molecular characterization is based on DNA extracted from sarcocysts from naturally infected cattle because DNA was not characterized from tissues of experimentally infected cattle or feces of experimentally infected definitive hosts. <em>Sarcocystis cruzi</em> (transmitted via canids) is recognized as the most pathogenic species and it causes abortion, low milk yield, poor body growth, and outbreaks of clinical sarcocystosis and death. Additionally, <em>Sarcocystis</em> infections have been linked to an inflammatory condition of striated muscles termed bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM). Cattle affected by BEM appear clinically normal. Diagnosis of BEM at slaughter occurs when inspecting the carcass surface, or once the carcass has been divided into prime cuts or quarters. Sex and breed have no apparent influence on prevalence of BEM. The condition evidently occurs with equal frequency in steers, cows, and heifers. Virtually all striated muscles can be affected including skeletal muscles, the muscles of the eye, larynx, and the heart. In the USA, regulations require condemnation of BEM-affected parts, or (in severe cases) the entire carcass. These aesthetic considerations result in economic losses. Cattle experimentally infected with <em>Sarcocystis</em> did not have BEM at slaughter. Here, we review the status of <em>Sarcocystis</em> spp. and BEM in cattle including prevalence, lesions, epidemiology, and association of BEM with different species of <em>Sarcocystis</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":13725,"journal":{"name":"International journal for parasitology","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2023-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"4","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International journal for parasitology","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0020751922001631","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PARASITOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 4
Abstract
Infections by Sarcocystis in cattle are ubiquitous worldwide. There is considerable debate concerning the identity of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle. Proper diagnosis of Sarcocystis spp. is important to assess their economic and public health importance. Currently there are seven named species: Sarcocystis hirsuta, Sarcocystis cruzi, Sarcocystis hominis, Sarcocystis bovifelis, arcocystis heydorni, Sarcocystis bovini and Sarcocystis rommeli. Additionally, there are unnamed Sarcocystis spp. Two species, S. hominis and S. heydorni, are zoonotic. One out of seven species (S. hirsuta, contracted from cats) forms macroscopic cysts which can be visible during carcass inspection. Current molecular characterization is based on DNA extracted from sarcocysts from naturally infected cattle because DNA was not characterized from tissues of experimentally infected cattle or feces of experimentally infected definitive hosts. Sarcocystis cruzi (transmitted via canids) is recognized as the most pathogenic species and it causes abortion, low milk yield, poor body growth, and outbreaks of clinical sarcocystosis and death. Additionally, Sarcocystis infections have been linked to an inflammatory condition of striated muscles termed bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM). Cattle affected by BEM appear clinically normal. Diagnosis of BEM at slaughter occurs when inspecting the carcass surface, or once the carcass has been divided into prime cuts or quarters. Sex and breed have no apparent influence on prevalence of BEM. The condition evidently occurs with equal frequency in steers, cows, and heifers. Virtually all striated muscles can be affected including skeletal muscles, the muscles of the eye, larynx, and the heart. In the USA, regulations require condemnation of BEM-affected parts, or (in severe cases) the entire carcass. These aesthetic considerations result in economic losses. Cattle experimentally infected with Sarcocystis did not have BEM at slaughter. Here, we review the status of Sarcocystis spp. and BEM in cattle including prevalence, lesions, epidemiology, and association of BEM with different species of Sarcocystis.
期刊介绍:
International Journal for Parasitology offers authors the option to sponsor nonsubscriber access to their articles on Elsevier electronic publishing platforms. For more information please view our Sponsored Articles page. The International Journal for Parasitology publishes the results of original research in all aspects of basic and applied parasitology, including all the fields covered by its Specialist Editors, and ranging from parasites and host-parasite relationships of intrinsic biological interest to those of social and economic importance in human and veterinary medicine and agriculture.