First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona causing meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat in Brazil

• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06570-w
• Publication Date: 2020-01-04T09:03:10Z
• Authors: Márcia Elisa Hamm...; Luan Cleber Henker; Juliana Lichtler; Fernanda Vieira A...; Rodrigo Martins S...; Horwald Alexander...; Saulo Petinatti P...
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; Sarcocystosis; Sarcocystis; Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections; Opossums; DNA, Protozoan; Cat Diseases; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Protozoology - Original Paper; Meningoencephalitis; Cats; Animals; Horse Diseases; Horses; Encephalomyelitis; Brazil

Sarcocystis neurona is the main agent associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Apart from horses, S. neurona has been occasionally described causing neurologic disease in several other terrestrial animals as well as mortality in marine mammals. Herein, we describe the clinical, pathological, and molecular findings of a fatal case of S. neurona-associated meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat. The causing agent was analyzed by multilocus genotyping, confirming the presence of S. neurona DNA in the tissue samples of the affected animal. Significant molecular differences were found in relation to S. neurona isolates detected in other regions of the Americas. In addition, the parasite was identical to Sarcocystis sp. identified in opossum sporocysts in Brazil at molecular level, which suggests that transmission of. S. neurona in Brazil might involve variants of the parasite different from those found elsewhere in the Americas. Studies including more samples of S. neurona would be required to test this hypothesis, as well as to assess the impact of this diversity.