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Molecular identification of Sarcocystis lutrae (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in muscles of five species of the family Mustelidae

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Abstract

Carnivores usually act as definitive hosts of Sarcocystis species. However, the number of reports on sarcocyst formation in musculature of predators is on the increase. In the present study, muscle samples of 68 mustelids collected in Lithuania were examined for sarcocysts of Sarcocystis species. Sarcocysts were detected in diaphragm, tongue and limb muscles of ten animals (14.7%) but were not discovered in the heart. Based on 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, cox1 and ITS1 sequence analysis, Sarcocystis lutrae was identified in three American minks (Neovison vison), two beech martens (Martes foina), three Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), one Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) and one European polecat (Mustela putorius). The intraspecific variability of this Sarcocystis species was determined only in ITS1 region. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, no clear separation of S. lutrae by intermediate hosts or geographical locations was established. This paper represents the first identification of S. lutrae in the American mink, the beech marten and the European polecat. Current results indicate that S. lutrae is a common species in the muscles of various European mustelids.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Ms. Martyna Motiejūnaitė for her assistance in the morphological analysis and to Mr. Valentinas Pabrinkis for collecting the material.

Funding

This research was supported by the Open Access to research infrastructure of the Nature Research Centre under Lithuanian open access network initiative.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Petras Prakas, Živilė Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Eglė Rudaitytė-Lukošienė, Elena Servienė & Dalius Butkauskas

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  1. Petras Prakas
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  2. Živilė Strazdaitė-Žielienė
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  3. Eglė Rudaitytė-Lukošienė
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  4. Elena Servienė
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  5. Dalius Butkauskas
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Correspondence to Petras Prakas.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Section Editor: Leonhard Schnittger

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Prakas, P., Strazdaitė-Žielienė, Ž., Rudaitytė-Lukošienė, E. et al. Molecular identification of Sarcocystis lutrae (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in muscles of five species of the family Mustelidae. Parasitol Res 117, 1989–1993 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5880-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-018-5880-0

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