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Evidence For Sarcocystis As the Etiologic Agent of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis *
Author(s) -
SIMPSON CHARLES F.,
MAYHEW IAN G.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1980.tb04259.x
Subject(s) - schizogony , cytoplasm , sarcocystis , biology , pathology , extracellular , spinal cord , parasite hosting , ultrastructure , anatomy , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine , plasmodium falciparum , malaria , neuroscience , world wide web , computer science
SYNOPSIS. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) was diagnosed in 10 horses. By electron microscopy, schizonts were found in intact host cells of the spinal cords or, more frequently, free in the extracellular spaces. Developmental stages of schizonts differed morphologically, and the late stage of schizogony was characterized by endopolygeny. These findings permitted tentative identification of the protozoon as a Sarcocystis sp. Free merozoites were present in the extracellular spaces or in cells of the spinal cord. Pericytes of capillaries were most frequently parasitized by merozoites, but the cytoplasm of neurons, macrophages, intravascular and tissue neutrophils, and axons of myelinated nerve fibers also contained these organisms. the presence of parasites in the cytoplasm of tissue and circulating neutrophils suggests that this putative Sarcocystis sp. may have a hematogenous phase of infection.