The white-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla, has been involved in the life cycle of several Sarcocystis species as the intermediate and definitive host. To date, it has been supposed that the eagle might play the role as the definitive host for S. Lutrae, and, herein, we tried to elucidate it based on morphometric and molecular analyses. One out of two eagles harbored oocysts (17.0-17.4 × 11.3-11.9 μm) and sporocysts (11.3-12.3 × 8.3-9.3 μm) in the intestinal mucosa, whose sequences at 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1, and cox1 showed similar identity (97.64-100%) to published sequences of S. lutrae from other hosts. The presence of sporulated oocysts in the lamina propria of villi confirms that S. lutrae truly infects the white-tailed eagle. The white-tailed eagle is confirmed as the definitive host of S. lutrae in the Czech Republic.

• Klíčová slova
• Czech Republic, birds of prey, carnivores, genetic characterization, oocysts and sporocysts, protozoan, small intestine, wildlife,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

BACKGROUND: Species of Sarcocystis are parasitic protozoa in poikilothermic and homeothermic animals. Out of the 26 valid species in birds as intermediate hosts, none has been reported in those of the order Musophagiformes, such as the great blue turaco Corythaeola cristata (Vieillot, 1816), which is a bird endemic to Central and Western Africa. The examination of great blue turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to Czech Republic allowed the morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of Sarcocystis. METHODS: Four turacos imported from the Central Africa Republic to a private breeder (Czech Republic) underwent parasitological examination for the presence of sarcocysts through wet mounts of breast, heart and leg muscles. Found parasites were molecularly and histologically studied by four loci (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 and cox1) and haematoxylin and eosin staining, respectively. RESULTS: Three out of four examined birds harboured numerous sarcocysts in the breast and leg muscles. No macroscopic lesions where observed. Sarcocysts were microscopic, elongate and ribbon-shaped with a wall characterised by the presence of finger-shaped villar protrusions and filled with numerous elongate, banana-shaped bradyzoites, 11.87-14.84 × 2.05-2.92 µm in size. The new species was most closely related to Sarcocystis albifronsi, Sarcocystis anasi, Sarcocystis atraii, Sarcocystis chloropusae, Sarcocystis rileyi, Sarcocystis wenzeli and Sarcocystis sp. isolate from chicken in the four loci. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first species of Sarcocystis found in a musophagiform bird worldwide. Genetically, S. cristata sp. nov. represents a distinct species. Phylogenetic analyses are useful for predicting potential definitive hosts of the new Sarcocystis species.

• Klíčová slova
• Africa, Aves, Molecular characterization, New species, Sarcocystis,
• MeSH
• fylogeneze * MeSH
• genetická variace MeSH
• protozoální DNA genetika   MeSH
• ptáci parazitologie   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 18S genetika   MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 28S genetika   MeSH
• Sarcocystis klasifikace   genetika   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• sarkocystóza veterinární   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• západní Afrika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protozoální DNA MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 18S MeSH
• RNA ribozomální 28S MeSH