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Sarcocystis spp. Investigations in Iberian Wild Caprinae Reveal a Remarkable Degree of Interconnection with Parasites’ Domestic Epidemiological Life Cycles

delete2026-08-02
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OA
AI
G
Guillermo E. Delgado-De las Cuevas
E
Eglė Rudaitytė-Lukošienė
P
Petras Prakas *
J
Josep Estruch
R
Roser Velarde
A
Antonio I. Plasencia-Gutiérrez
M
María L. García-Gil
M
M. Habela
R
Rafael Calero‐Bernal *
DOI:10.3390/pathogens15080816delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Many uncertainties exist on the epidemiology of the Sarcocystis species infecting wild ruminants. In this study, tongue and/or diaphragm tissues of free-ranging wild Caprinae species (54 Pyrenean chamois, 52 mouflons, 146 Iberian ibexes, and 19 Balearean wild goats) residing in the mountain areas of Spain were selected for Sarcocystis spp. detection and species identification. By light microscopy, Sarcocystis sarcocyst frequency rates were considerably high (85.7% in chamois, 82.7% in mouflon, 52.7% in Iberian ibexes), except for the Balearean wild goat (5.3%), which was investigated for the very first time. One excised sarcocyst of Iberian ibex was subjected to transmission electron microscopy, revealing a sibling S. capracanis ultrastructure. Genomic DNA isolated from 57 sarcocysts excised from the hosts’ tissues was investigated through PCR amplicon sequencing of the 18S rRNA and cox1 genes. As a result, sequences of S. capracanis, S. cornagliai, S. rossii and S. tenella were detected, sharing high identity with conspecific sequences. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed a remarkable clustering of all Sarcocystis species in clades encompassing species transmitted via canids, except S. cornagliai, which is allocated in a clade with species using corvid birds as their definitive hosts. Therefore, a significant degree of interconnection between sylvatic and domestic Sarcocystis epidemiological cycles can be drawn in the study area.
Keywords:
sarcocysts
<i>18S rRNA</i>
<i>cox1</i>
molecular characterisation
morphology
phylogeny

Journal

Pathogens cover
Pathogens
IF:
3.3
Papers:
9.4K
Citations:
2.3W

Organization

U
universitat autónoma de barcelona
Scholars:
312
Papers: 131
Citations: 0
S
spanish national electron microscopy centre
Scholars:
2
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
U
University of Extremadura
Scholars:
338
Papers: 188
Citations: 0
G
gobierno de las islas baleares
Scholars:
2
Papers: 1
Citations: 0
C
complutense university of madrid
Scholars:
1.9K
Papers: 972
Citations: 0
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