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Life cycle of Sarcocystis camelicanis infecting the camel (Camelus dromedarius) and the dog (Canis familiaris), light and electron microscopic study

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Abstract

In the present study, the heteroxeneous life cycle of Sarcocystis sp. infecting camels were studied. A total of 180 slaughtered camels collected from different localities in Egypt were investigated for sarcocysts. Only 116 animals were found to be infected (the infection rate was 64%). Muscle samples of esophagus, diaphragm, tongue, skeletal, and heart muscles were examined. Exclusively, microscopic sarcocysts were detected in all examined organs. The infection rates of the esophagus, diaphragm, tongue, skeletal, and heart muscles were 60%, 50%, 40%, 40%, and 10%, respectively. By means of transmission electron microscopy, details of the ultrastructure of the sarcocysts were studied. The specific architecture and ornaments of the cyst wall, its protrusions, and the cyst interior were recorded. Unique features of protrusions of the primary cyst wall, the knob-like structures, arise around each protrusion. Experimental infection of carnivores by feeding heavily infected camel muscles revealed that the dog, Canis familiaris, is the only final host of the present Sarcocystis species. Gamogony, sporogonic stages, and characteristics of sporulated oocysts were also investigated.

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Acknowledgment

This study was supported by the Center of Excellence of the College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

    Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar & Abdel-Rahman Bashtar

  2. Parasitology Department, Düsseldorf University, Düsseldorf, Germany

    Heinz Mehlhorn

  3. Zoology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Khaled Al-Rasheid

  4. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Beni Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt

    Thabit Sakran & Hoda El-Fayoumi

Authors
  1. Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar
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  2. Heinz Mehlhorn
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  3. Abdel-Rahman Bashtar
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  4. Khaled Al-Rasheid
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  5. Thabit Sakran
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  6. Hoda El-Fayoumi
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Correspondence to Fathy Abdel-Ghaffar.

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Abdel-Ghaffar, F., Mehlhorn, H., Bashtar, AR. et al. Life cycle of Sarcocystis camelicanis infecting the camel (Camelus dromedarius) and the dog (Canis familiaris), light and electron microscopic study. Parasitol Res 106, 189–195 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1648-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1648-x

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