Molecular Identification, Pathogenesis, and Life Cycle of Sarcocystis cruzi from Cattle (Bos taurus) in New Valley Governorate, Egypt

Mohammed B M El-Mahdi; Soheir A Rabie; Reda M El-S Hassanine; Amal A Hassan; Obaida F Abo Elhussien; Mamdooh Ghoneum; Mohamed S A El-Gerbed

doi:10.1155/2023/7829290

Molecular Identification, Pathogenesis, and Life Cycle of Sarcocystis cruzi from Cattle (Bos taurus) in New Valley Governorate, Egypt

J Parasitol Res. 2023 Mar 8:2023:7829290. doi: 10.1155/2023/7829290. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Mohammed B M El-Mahdi¹, Soheir A Rabie², Reda M El-S Hassanine³, Amal A Hassan⁴, Obaida F Abo Elhussien², Mamdooh Ghoneum^{5

6}, Mohamed S A El-Gerbed⁴

Affiliations

¹ Molecular Genetic & Molecular Biology Lab, Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
² Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.
³ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, New Valley University, El-Kharga, Egypt.
⁴ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Damanhur University, Damanhur, Egypt.
⁵ Department of Surgery, Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
⁶ Department of Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Abstract

Sarcocystis cruzi was identified by molecular methods from an intermediate host, cattle (Bos taurus), in El-Kharga, New Valley Governorate, Egypt, and its life cycle and pathogenicity were studied in the final host, dogs (Canis familiaris). 600 slaughtered cattle aged 6-8 years (480/120 males/females) were included. In addition, three laboratory-bred, coccidian-free puppies aged 2-3 months were fed infected bovine muscles to locate the definitive host and analyze sporogony. 18S rRNA-specific gene primers were used for DNA amplification from esophageal muscles. These polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplicons were subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and molecular sequence analysis. Infection was detected in 78.8% (473/600; 95% CI, 75.56-82.11%). Histopathological examination of esophageal muscles showed oval- to spherical-shaped cysts, 96.7 μm wide by 326.9 μm long; cysts in cardiac muscles were ovoid and smaller. Infected puppies began shedding sporocysts in feces 7 days post-inoculation and showed distorted organ architecture, severe cellular damage, and inflammatory lesions in liver, kidney, esophagus, and stomach. Three oocysts with different shapes and sizes were identified. Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences of isolated New Valley sarcocysts were identical to S. cruzi isolated from different areas, verifying their genetic relatedness. Our analysis suggests that S. cruzi is the most prevalent in slaughtered cattle in New Valley Governorate, Egypt.