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Sarcocystis sp. from white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons): cyst morphology and life cycle studies

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Abstract

An experiment was carried out using three cubs of the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). Twenty-five-day-old cubs were infected by feeding them with the leg muscles of the white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) containing Sarcocystis sp. (cyst type III) cysts. Under the light microscope, the cysts were ribbon-shaped up to 4 mm long and up to 750 μm wide. On the surface of the wall (up to 2.4 μm), they had teat- or finger-like villar protrusions. Ultrastructurally, the cyst wall was a type-9 with villar protrusions (up to 2.3 μm long) different in size. The 11.4×1.7 (10.0–13.5×1.5–2.5)μm cystozoites were almost straight and shuttle-shaped. The fox cubs started shedding typical 12.0×8.0 (10.0–12.8×6.8–8.6)μm Sarcocystis sp. sporocysts on the 13th–14th days post-infection. The patent period lasted 19 days. The conclusion drawn was that the arctic fox (A. lagopus) can be one of the definitive hosts of Sarcocystis sp. (cyst type III) from the white-fronted goose.

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Acknowledgements

We thank V. Skukauskaitė-Kokinienė for the help in taking care of experimental animals. The experiment described in this study complies with the requirements of the laws of the country.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Parasitology, Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius-21, Lithuania

    L. Kutkienė

  2. Laboratory of Population Genetics, Institute of Ecology of Vilnius University, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius-21, Lithuania

    A. Sruoga & D. Butkauskas

  3. Department of Biology, Vytautas Magnus University, Donelaièio 58, 3000, Kaunas, Lithuania

    A. Sruoga

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  1. L. Kutkienė
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  2. A. Sruoga
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  3. D. Butkauskas
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Correspondence to L. Kutkienė.

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Kutkienė, L., Sruoga, A. & Butkauskas, D. Sarcocystis sp. from white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons): cyst morphology and life cycle studies. Parasitol Res 99, 562–565 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0196-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-006-0196-x

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