Original scientific paper

Sarcocystosis in cloven-hoofed game in Slovak Republic

Mária Goldova ; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
Štefan Tóth ; Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, P. J. Šafárik Universtity, Šrobárova 2, 040 01 Košice, Slovak Republic
Valéria Letková ; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
Jana Mojžišová ; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
Juraj Ciberej ; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
Dean Konjević ; Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Alica Kočišová ; Department of Parasitology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, Komenského 73, 041 81 Košice, Slovak Republic
Alen Slavica ; Department for Game Biology, Pathology and Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

In this paper, we analyze the results of surveys of Sarcocystis spp. carried out on heart and skeletal muscles from 71 ex. of cloven-hoofed game hunted in Central and Eastern Slovakia between 2005 and 2007. Sarcocystis infection was determined among 91.5 % of the 71 cloven-hoofed game animals (deer, mouflon, chamois, wild boar): 100% in 13 roe deer, 10 mouflons, 8 fallow deer, and 6 chamois; 85.0 % in 20 wild boars, 78.6 % in 14 red deer. In examined cloven-hoofed game in Slovakia a high intensity of infection of Sarcocystis spp., was recorded. The highest intensity of infection was in wild boars (up to 1,495 microcysts per gram) and roe deer (903 microcysts per gram). Animals under one year of age showed low intensity of infection in comparison with adults: red deer (19/g), mouflon (19/g), chamois (19/g) and wild boar (52/g). Muscle samples of males had a significantly higher intensity of infection than females. Intensity of infection was statistically significant in red deer male versus calves p<0.05; chamois male versus lamb p<0.001, chamois female versus lamb p<0.001, chamois male versus female p<0.05, wild boar male versus female p<0.01, wild boar female versus piglet p<0.05. We also present the morphology of thin-walled microcysts of Sarcocystis spp. according to histological sections. Light microscopy showed typical features of Sarcocystis spp. microcysts in skeletal muscles and myocardium. Thin-walled microcysts were filled with numerous bradyzoites, which are situated inside chamber-like hollows in the cysts.

Keywords

cloven-hoofed game; microcyst of Sarcocystis spp.; prevalence; intensity of infection; histological observation

Hrčak ID:

34031

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/34031

Publication date:

31.12.2008.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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