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Sarcocystis sp. from the herring gull (Larus argentatus) identity to Sarcocystis wobeseri based on cyst morphology and DNA results

Parasitology Research volume 109, pages 1603–1608 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

Having studied 11 herring gulls (Larus argentatus) Sarcocystis cysts were found in neck and leg muscles of 4 birds. One type of sarcocysts (cyst type I) that have a thin (∼1.0 μm), smooth, or slightly wavy cyst wall without clearly visible protrusions and small (6.0–8.0 μm) lancet- or banana-shaped cystozoites was identified by the light microscopy. Sarcocysts extracted from one herring gull were used for electron microscopy and DNA analysis. Ultrastructurally, Sarcocystis sp. from the herring gull had the same tissue cyst wall type-1 as S. calchasi, S. columbae, and S. wobeseri parasitizing in birds. According to first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) region, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA gene sequences, Sarcocystis sp. from the herring gull belongs to S. wobeseri. Nevertheless, without evidences of cross-transmission experiment sarcocysts extracted from herring gull at present time are named as S. wobeseri-like.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express great thankfulness to Dr. Jitender P. Dubey from Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal and Natural Resources Institute for the valuable comments on the draft of the paper.

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Affiliations

  1. Nature Research Centre, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Petras Prakas, Liuda Kutkienė & Dalius Butkauskas

  2. Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania

    Aniolas Sruoga

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  1. Petras Prakas
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  2. Liuda Kutkienė
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  3. Aniolas Sruoga
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  4. Dalius Butkauskas
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Correspondence to Petras Prakas.

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Prakas, P., Kutkienė, L., Sruoga, A. et al. Sarcocystis sp. from the herring gull (Larus argentatus) identity to Sarcocystis wobeseri based on cyst morphology and DNA results. Parasitol Res 109, 1603–1608 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2421-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-011-2421-5

Keywords

  • Intermediate Host
  • Larus
  • Cyst Wall
  • Definitive Host
  • Barnacle Goose