The Role of Birds of the Family Corvidae in Transmitting <i>Sarcocystis</i> Protozoan Parasites
Members of the family Corvidae are ecologically flexible omnivorous birds, particularly adaptive to urban habitats, and living in proximity to humans; these birds may serve as definitive hosts (DH) for <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., but research about this is lacking. In the present study, int...
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| Auteurs principaux: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | article |
| Langue: | EN |
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MDPI AG
2021
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| Accès en ligne: | https://doaj.org/article/de8b79e2ca4f41119f96de4c76e12dd1 |
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| Résumé: | Members of the family Corvidae are ecologically flexible omnivorous birds, particularly adaptive to urban habitats, and living in proximity to humans; these birds may serve as definitive hosts (DH) for <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp., but research about this is lacking. In the present study, intestinal samples from 91 corvids collected in Lithuania were molecularly tested by species-specific PCR targeting the ITS1 and <i>cox1</i> genes and subsequently sequenced for the presence of <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. Under a light microscope, oocysts of <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. were observed in 43 samples (47.3%), while molecular methods, detected <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. in 77 birds (84.6%). Eleven <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. (<i>S</i>. <i>columbae</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>cornixi</i>, potentially pathogenic <i>S</i>. <i>halieti</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>kutkienae</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>lari</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>turdusi</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>wobeseri</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>arctica</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>lutrae</i>, <i>S</i>. <i>ovalis</i>, and <i>S</i>. <i>oviformis</i>) were identified in the intestinal samples from six corvid species from Lithuania. Infections with multiple <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. were detected in 79.2% of the infected corvid birds. Three of the identified <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. use corvids as intermediate hosts (IH); therefore, corvids may serve as IH and DH of the same <i>Sarcocystis</i> species. Based on molecular results and on corvid diet, omnivorous corvids may play an important role in transmitting <i>Sarcocystis</i> spp. |
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