Cats as definite hosts for Sarcocystis of sheep

Authors: Munday BL
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 26, Issue 6, pp 166, Jun 1978
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cat, Companion animal
Subject Terms: Muscle/myology, Disease/defect, Parasites - internal, Protozoa, Infectious disease
Article class: Correspondence

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Abstract: Despite the fact that there is considerable evidence for at least one, and possibly two, species of ovine Sarcocystis using cats as definitive hosts, no worker has been able to demonstrate infection in specific pathogen-free (SPF) sheep dosed with sporocysts derived from cats . As Gestrich et al. kept their animals for 250 days post-inoculation (p.i.) it would appear that recognizable sarcocysts are not produced earlier than 9 months pi. or else the sporocysts need some form of “conditioning” before they become infective for sheep. In order to test the hypothesis that the period to infectivity and/or sarcocyst production is prolonged, I designed a trial involving sheep which had been born and raised on an island (Trefoil Island) which has no cats…

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