Rehbein, S.; Visser, M. Prevalence and Intensity of Sarcocystis spp. Infections in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) in Germany. Parasitologia2024, 4, 61-70.
Rehbein, S.; Visser, M. Prevalence and Intensity of Sarcocystis spp. Infections in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) in Germany. Parasitologia 2024, 4, 61-70.
Rehbein, S.; Visser, M. Prevalence and Intensity of Sarcocystis spp. Infections in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) in Germany. Parasitologia2024, 4, 61-70.
Rehbein, S.; Visser, M. Prevalence and Intensity of Sarcocystis spp. Infections in Alpine Chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra) in Germany. Parasitologia 2024, 4, 61-70.
Abstract
Chamois are mountain ungulates (Subfamily Caprinae) which inhabit several medium and high altitude mountain ranges from southern Europe to the Near East.
The first findings of Sarcocystis cysts in the musculature of chamois were reported in the 1970s. However, only limited work on the epidemiology of sarcocystosis and identification of the species of Sarcocystis in chamois has been done in the past. The present work was part of a comprehensive study on the parasites of chamois in Germany aiming to provide, for the first time, data on the prevalence and intensity of Sarcocystis infection in native Alpine chamois using histology examination of heart and/or diaphragm tissue samples collected from 216 chamois (40 kids and 176 chamois ranging of one up to 18 years of age).
Sarcocysts were detected in either heart or diaphragm of 167/216 chamois (77.3%) with 131 of 183 heart samples and 127 of 215 diaphragm samples testing sarcocyst positive. Of the 181 chamois with both heart and diaphragm available (34 kids and animals up to 18 years of age), sarcocysts were detected in heart and/or diaphragm of 142 animals translating in an overall 78.5% prevalence of Sarcocystis infection (95%CI 72.5% - 84.4%). Sarcocysts were more frequently recorded in heart vs. diaphragm (72.4% vs. 56.4%; p=0.0021), and diaphragm positivity was associated with heart positivity (p=0.0001). Sarcocyst positivity (heart and/or diaphragm) was significantly (p<0.001) lower in kids than in the older chamois (27.1% vs. 88.6%, respectively) but prevalence did not differ between the sexes, regardless of the chamois’ age (p>0.3). Intensity of infection was generally low (<10 sarcocysts per cm² muscle cut) in both heart positive and diaphragm positive animals (94.7% and 93.7%, respectively) with heart yielding higher sarcocyst counts than diaphragm (p<0.001). Both heart and diaphragm sarcocyst counts were significantly (p<0.001) lower in kids than in the older chamois.
Sarcocystis infection was demonstrated to be prevalent in chamois in Germany but intensity is apparently low. Further studies are desired to identify the species of Sarcocystis parasitizing the chamois using both phenotypic and molecular characteristics.
Keywords
Sarcocystis; chamois; heart; diaphragm; Germany
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Parasitology
Copyright:
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