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Histopathological, morphological, and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis species in elk (Cervus elaphus) from Pennsylvania, USA

Parasitology Research volume 117, pages 3245–3255 (2018)Cite this article

Abstract

Sarcocystis sarcocysts are common in many species of domestic and wild animals. Here, we report sarcocystosis in muscles from 91 free range elk (Cervus elaphus) from Pennsylvania, USA, tested by histopathology, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and DNA sequencing. Sarcocysts were detected in hematoxylin and eosin (HE)-stained sections from 83 of 91 (91.2%) elk, including 83/91 (91.2%) tongues and 15/17 (88.2%) hearts. With respect to age, sarcocysts were found in 0/5 calves, 8/9 (88.8%) yearlings, and 75/77 (97.4%) adults. Sarcocysts were identified in 62/69 (89.4%) females and 21/22 (91.2%) males. Associated lesions were mild and consisted of inflammatory foci around degenerate sarcocysts. There were two morphologically distinct sarcocysts based on wall thickness, thin (< 0.5 μm) and thick-walled (> 4.0 μm). Thin-walled sarcocysts had a TEM “type 2” and villar protrusions (vps), identical to Sarcocystis wapiti previously described from elk in western USA. This species was present both in tongue and heart samples and was detected in all infected elk. Thick-walled sarcocysts consisted of three morphologic variants, referred to herein as subkinds A, B, C. Subkind A sarcocysts were rare; only four sarcocysts were found in three elk. Histologically, they had a 5–8-μm thick wall with tufted vp. By TEM, the sarcocyst wall was “type 12” and appeared similar to Sarcocystis sybillensis, previously described from elk in USA. Subkind B, Sarcocystis sp.1 sarcocysts were also rare, found in only 1 elk. These sarcocysts had 6.7–7.3-μm-thick wall with TEM “type 15b” vp. Subkind C Sarcocystis sp.2 sarcocysts were more common (22/91). Morphologically, the sarcocyst wall was 6.1–6.8 μm thick and contained “type 10b” vp. Comparisons of ribosomal DNA loci with published sequences indicated all sarcocysts were similar to what has previously been isolated from cervid hosts across the northern hemisphere. Phylogenetic analysis placed the thin-walled S. wapiti within a strongly supported clade with S. linearis and S. taeniata, while the thick-walled cysts were very closely related to S. truncata, S. elongata, S. silva, and S. tarandi. Further sequencing is needed to produce molecular diagnostics to distinguish among these species. North American elk are hosts to multiple Sarcocystis species with diverse morphology, deriving from two separate evolutionary lineages.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by an appointment to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Participation Program administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) through an interagency agreement between the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). ORISE is managed by ORAU under DOE contract number DE-SC0014664. All opinions expressed in this paper are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the policies and views of USDA, ARS, DOE, or ORAU/ORISE.

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Affiliations

  1. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA

    Camila K. Cerqueira-Cézar, Peter C. Thompson, Fernando H. A. Murata, Benjamin M. Rosenthal & Jitender P. Dubey

  2. United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Electron and Confocal Microscopy Unit, Building 12, Beltsville, MD, 20705-2350, USA

    Joseph Mowery

  3. Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA, 17110-9797, USA

    Justin D. Brown & Jeremy Banfield

Authors
  1. Camila K. Cerqueira-Cézar
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  2. Peter C. Thompson
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  3. Fernando H. A. Murata
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  4. Joseph Mowery
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  5. Justin D. Brown
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  6. Jeremy Banfield
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  7. Benjamin M. Rosenthal
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  8. Jitender P. Dubey
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Correspondence to Jitender P. Dubey.

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The samples were obtained from legally hunted elk. No laboratory experiments were performed.

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Section Editor: Daniel K Howe

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Cerqueira-Cézar, C.K., Thompson, P.C., Murata, F.H.A. et al. Histopathological, morphological, and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis species in elk (Cervus elaphus) from Pennsylvania, USA. Parasitol Res 117, 3245–3255 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6024-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-6024-2

Keywords

  • Elk (Cervus elaphus)
  • Sarcocystis
  • Ultrastructure
  • Phylogeny