Sarcocystis Transmitted by Blood Transfusion

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Abstract
Merozoites were found in blood smears from calves, lambs and pigs exhibiting signs of acute sarcocystosis after oral infection with sporocysts of Sarcocystis bovicanis, S. ovicanis and S. suihominis, respectively. In each of 3 experiments, whole blood containing merozoites was transfused from an infected host to 2 uninfected recipients of the same species; 2 additional animals of the same species served as uninfected nontransfused controls. The bovine, ovine and porcine donors all died of acute sarcocystosis. Clinical signs of sarcocystosis were not seen in any transfusion recipients or controls. All recipients and controls were killed and histologic specimens of esophagus, diaphragm, heart, skeletal muscle and tongue were examined microscopically. Large numbers of intramuscular cysts were present in transfusion recipients, whereas few or no cysts were present in controls, indicating that S. bovicanis, S. ovicanis and S. suihominis had been transmitted between intermediate hosts of the same species by blood transfusion.

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