Two structurally distinct types (A, B) of microscopic sarcocysts were found in muscles of 4 of 5 feral skunks. Type A sarcocysts had sarcocyst walls of up to 6 μm thick. The villar protrusions (Vp) on the sarcocyst wall were up to 5 μm long. The Vp were constricted at the base, expanded in the middle, and had a blunt tip. Numerous microtubules were present in the Vp and in the granular layer. Bradyzoites were up to 11 μm long and up to 3.2 μm wide. Based on the distinctiveness of the Vp, a new name, Sarcocystis mephitisi is proposed for type A sarcocysts. Type B sarcocysts had a relatively thin (∼1–2 μm thick) sarcocyst wall and the Vp were slender and tapered toward the tip. These sarcocysts were structurally similar to S. neurona sarcocysts. A Toxoplasma gondii–like tissue cyst was found in a section of tongue of 1 of the 4 skunks.
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February 2002
SYSTEMATICS-PHYLOGENETICS|
February 01 2002
SARCOCYSTIS MEPHITISI N. SP. (PROTOZOA: SARCOCYSTIDAE), SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA-LIKE AND TOXOPLASMA-LIKE INFECTIONS IN STRIPED SKUNKS (MEPHITIS MEPHITIS)
J. P. Dubey;
J. P. Dubey
Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350. jdubey@anri.barc.usda.gov
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A. N. Hamir;
A. N. Hamir
Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350. jdubey@anri.barc.usda.gov
* United States Department of Agriculture, National Animal Disease Center, 2300 Dayton Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50010.
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M. J. Topper
M. J. Topper
Parasite Biology, Epidemiology and Systematics Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350. jdubey@anri.barc.usda.gov
† Division of Pathology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-7500.
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J Parasitol (2002) 88 (1): 113–117.
Citation
J. P. Dubey, A. N. Hamir, M. J. Topper; SARCOCYSTIS MEPHITISI N. SP. (PROTOZOA: SARCOCYSTIDAE), SARCOCYSTIS NEURONA-LIKE AND TOXOPLASMA-LIKE INFECTIONS IN STRIPED SKUNKS (MEPHITIS MEPHITIS). J Parasitol 1 February 2002; 88 (1): 113–117. doi: https://doi.org/10.1645/0022-3395(2002)088[0113:SMNSPS]2.0.CO;2
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