Sarcocystis mephitisi n. sp. (protozoa: sarcocystidae), sarcocystis neurona-like and toxoplasma-like infections in striped skunks (mephitis mephitis)
2002
Dubey, J. P. | Hamir, A. N. | Topper, M. J.
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 μμm thick. The villar protrusions (Vp) on the sarcocyst wall were up to 5 μμm 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 μμm long and up to 3.2 μμm 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 μμm 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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