The infection status of harbor seals Phoca vitulina in central California, USA, was evaluated through broad surveillance for pathogens in stranded and wild-caught animals from 2001 to 2008, with most samples collected in 2007 and 2008. Stranded animals from Mendocino County to San Luis Obispo County were sampled at a rehabilitation facility: The Marine Mammal Center (TMMC, n = 175); wild-caught...

ABSTRACT: This study assessed microscopic morphology of protozoan and metazoan parasites, as well parasite-associated histopathologic changes in five Brazilian free-ranging armadillos. Three armadillos had intra sarcolemmal cysts Sarcocystis sp. skeletal muscles without changes. One Dasypus novemcinctus was found parasitized with a nematode morphologically compatible an oxyurid the small intest...

Infection with Sarcocystis species is common in herbivores but is rare in bears. Histological sections of 374 black bears (Ursus americanus) from Pennsylvania were examined for sarcocysts. In total, 3 sarcocysts were found in 3 bears, with 1 sarcocyst per section. Sarcocysts from 2 bears were considered a new species, Sarcocystis ursusi. Sarcocysts of S. ursusi n. sp. were microscopic and conta...

Disease caused by Sarcocystis spp are associated with a variety of clinical signs including abortion, hemorrhages, hair loss, muscular disease, and neurological dysfunction. In horses, clinical disease is associated with Sarcocystis fayeri and S neurona. The genesis of and clinical progression of disease caused by these protozoans in horses is not well defined but acute, chronic, and relapsing ...

Although parasites of the genus Sarcocystis have likely cycled between bovine herbivores and canine carnivores for tens of millions of years, humans may have profoundly influenced the ecology and evolution of those prevalent in domesticated dogs and cattle. To preliminarily assess the possibility of such anthropogenic effects, we surveyed genetic variation in conserved (18S small subunit) and v...