Comparative morphological studies on three sarcocystis species in Sohag, Egypt

Abstract EN

Samples from the tongue, heart, esophageal and skeletal muscles were collected from 100 cow and 100 buffalo from Sohag slaughter-houses.

Macroscopic examination for sarcocysts was followed by mi-croscopic ones on impression smears and compressed muscles.

Histo-logical sections and transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies were done on positive cases.

Sarcocystis infection rate of cows were 84 %.

Two species of Sarcocystis were detected: 1- S.

cruzi with a me-mbrane provided with hair-like villar protrusions folded over the sur-face of the cyst.

These protrusions were rod-like, round, oval or irregular in shape and were approximately parallel to the cyst surface.

2-S.

hominis characterized by a cyst wall consisting of cylindrical fin-ger-like villar protrusions and having microfilaments.

The protrusions were perpendicular on the cyst surface with broad tips and contain microfilaments.

Buffaloes' muscle samples revealed an infection rate of 28%.

The macroscopic fusiform-shaped species only was detected (Sarcocystis fusiformis).

The role of cyst wall ultrastructure and thick-ness were discussed regarding identification and pathogenicity.