Sarcocystis falcatula-like derived from opossum in Northeastern Brazil: In vitro propagation in avian cells, molecular characterization and bioassay in birds

Publication date: Available online 30 August 2019Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and WildlifeAuthor(s): Luís F.P. Gondim, Rodrigo M. Soares, Aline S. Tavares, Waléria B. Silva, Rogério F. de Jesus, Horwald A.B. Llano, Leane Q. GondimAbstractMost reported isolates of Sarcocystis spp. derived from Brazilian opossums (Didelphis sp.) have genetic characteristics distinct from the known species of Sarcocystis, but behave similarly as Sarcocystis falcatula, as they are infective to budgerigars. In previous studies, these Brazilian isolates, classified as Sarcocystis falcatula-like, were originated from South and Southeast regions of Brazil. In the current work, we aimed to culture and to perform multilocus sequence analysis of Sarcocystis sp. derived from a Brazilian opossum (D. aurita/D. marsupialis) that inhabited the city of Salvador, Bahia, in the Northeast of Brazil. The parasite was isolated in Vero cells, referred here as Sarco-BA1, and propagated in avian cells (DF-1). Molecular analysis of Sarco-BA1 revealed that the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) of the rDNA was identical to all isolates (n = 19) of Sarcocystis spp. reported in two studies from South and Southeast regions of the country. Two budgerigars were inoculated with 10 and 1000 sporocysts of Sarco-BA1, respectively, and developed acute sarcocystosis, showing that the parasite behaves like S. falcatula. It was interesting to observe that Sarco-BA1 ha...
Source: International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife - Category: Parasitology Source Type: research