Isolates of Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms from South American opossums Didelphis marsupialis and Didelphis albiventris from Sao Paulo, Brazil

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Date
2001-12
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Publisher
American Society of Parasitology
Abstract

Isolates of Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms from South American opossums were characterized based on biological and morphological criteria. Sporocysts from intestinal scrapings of 1 Didelphis marsupialis and 8 Didelphis albiventris from Sao Paulo, Brazil. were fed to captive budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulants). Budgerigars fed sporocysts from all 9 isolates became ill and S. falcatula-like schizonts were identified in sections of their lungs by immunohistochemical staining. Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms were cultured from lungs of budgerigars fed sporocysts from D. marsupialis and from lungs of budgerigars fed sporocysts from 3 of 8 D. albiventris. The 33/54 locus amplified by polymerase chain reaction from culture-derived merozoites contained both a HinfI endonuclease recognition site previously suggested to diagnose S. falcatula and a DraI site thought to diagnosed S. neurona. Development of the isolate from D. marsupialis was studied in cell cultured its schizonts divided by endopolygeny, leaving a residual body. Morphological and genetic variation differentiated this Sarcocystis isolate originating in D. marsupialis from the Cornell 1 isolate of S. falcatula. This is the first report of a S. falcatula infection in the South American opossum. D. marsupialis.

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Keywords
melopsittacus-undulatus, neurona, virginiana, birds, pathogenesis, budgerigar, parasite, transmission, psittacines, sporocysts, parasitology
Citation
J. P. Dubey, D. S. Lindsay, B. M. Rosenthal, C. E. Kerber, N. Kasai, H. F J. Pena, O. C H. Kwok, S. K. Shen, and S. M. Gennari (2001). "Isolates of Sarcocystis falcatula-like organisms from South American opossums Didelphis marsupialis and Didelphis albiventris from Sao Paulo, Brazil," Journal of Parasitology, Vol. 87, No. 6, pp. 1449-1453. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1645/0022-3395(2001)087[1449:IOSFLO]2.0.CO;2