Bovine sarcocystosis: diagnosis, prevalence, economic and public health considerations
Infections by Sarcocystis in cattle are ubiquitous worldwide. There is considerable debate concerning the identity of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle. Proper diagnosis of Sarcocystis spp. is important to assess their economic and public health importance. Currently there are seven named species: Sarcocystis hirsuta, Sarcocysti cuzi, Sarcocysti hominis, Sarcocysti bovifelis, arcocysti. heydorni, Sarcocysti bovini and Sarcocysti rommeli. Additionally, there are unnamed Sarcocystis spp. Two species, S. hominis and S. heydorni, are zoonotic. One out of seven species forms macroscopic cysts which can be visible during carcass inspection.
Current molecular characterization is based on DNA extracted from sarcocysts from naturally infected cattle because DNA was not characterized from tissues of experimentally infected cattle or feces of experimentally infected definitive hosts. Sarcocystis cruzi — transmitted via canids — is recognized as the most pathogenic species and it causes abortion, low milk yield, poor body growth and outbreaks of clinical sarcocystosis and death.
Additionally, Sarcocystis infections have been linked to an inflammatory condition of striated muscles termed bovine eosinophilic myositis (BEM). Cattle affected by BEM appear clinically normal. Diagnosis of BEM at slaughter occurs when inspecting the carcass surface, or once the carcass has been divided into prime cuts or quarters. Sex and breed have no apparent influence on prevalence of BEM.
The condition evidently occurs with equal frequency in steers, cows and heifers. Virtually all striated muscles can be affected including skeletal muscles, the muscles of the eye, larynx and the heart. In the U.S., regulations require condemnation of BEM-affected parts, or the entire carcass. These aesthetic considerations result in economic losses. Cattle experimentally infected with Sarcocystis have not shown BEM at slaughter.
The aim of this study was to review the status of Sarcocystis spp. and BEM in cattle including prevalence, lesions, epidemiology and association of BEM with different species of Sarcocystis.
J P Dubey, et al. “Bovine sarcocystosis: Sarcocystis species, diagnosis, prevalence, economic and public health considerations, and association of Sarcocystis species with eosinophilic myositis in cattle.” Int J Parasitol. 2022 Dec 1; S0020-7519(22)00163-1. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.09.009
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