AUTHOR=Máca Ondřej , Kouba Marek , Korpimäki Erkki , González-Solís David 

TITLE=Molecular Identification of Sarcocystis sp. (Apicomplexa, Sarcocystidae) in Offspring of Tengmalm's Owls, Aegolius funereus (Aves, Strigidae)

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Veterinary Science

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.804096

DOI=10.3389/fvets.2021.804096

ISSN=2297-1769

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Birds act as intermediate or definitive hosts of cyst-forming coccidia parasites of the genus <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> Lankester, 1882. However, the spectrum of species of <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> in birds and the role of the latter in the transmission of coccidia are still incomplete for many avian species, including the Tengmalm's owl <italic>Aegolius funereus</italic> (Linnaeus, 1758). During the research on Tengmalm's owls in Finland, some fledglings were found dead and subsequently parasitologically examined. Therefore, this study is focused on the morphological and molecular description of a <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> species found in the intestine of the Tengmalm's owl and its possible role as a definitive host.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Eleven fledgling owls in the Kauhava region of west-central Finland were found dead and subsequently were submitted for necropsy and parasitologically examined through the flotation–centrifugation coprological technique for the presence of oocysts/sporocysts of the genus <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> by light microscopy. Wet mounts were used for the examination of muscle samples (breast, legs, and heart). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and nested-PCR were carried out using primers for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS1 region, and CO1 genes.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> All 11 examined owls were parasitized by numerous sporocysts and oocysts in the intestinal mucosa scrapings (prevalence, 100%). Sporulated oocysts and sporocysts measured 16.34–16.96 × 11.47–12.09 μm and 11.85–13.52 × 7.77–9.25 μm, respectively. The skeletal and heart muscles were negative for sarcocysts. <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. ex <italic>Aegolius funereus</italic> (hereafter <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. Af) is closely related to <italic>Sarcocystis strixi</italic> in the barred owl (<italic>Strix varia</italic> Barton, 1799) from the USA and <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. isolate 5 in the European shrew (<italic>Sorex araneus</italic> Linnaeus, 1758) from the Czech Republic. Phylogenetic analysis allowed determining the relationship of the herein reported <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> sp. with its congeners.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> This work provided the first and most comprehensive record on <italic>Sarcocystis</italic> from owls obtained in Finland, thus highlighting the importance of molecular data in species identification.</p>