Abstract

MOLECULAR STUDY OF FOUR SPECIES OF SARCOCYSTIS ISOLATED FROM SHEEPS ESOPHAGUS AND INTER SKELETON MUSCLE IN BAGHDAD.

Safa T. Whaeeb*, Azhar A. Faraj and Ilham A. Khalaf

Abstract

Sarcocystis is an obligatory intracellular protozoan parasite which can infect humans and animals. Sheep are intermediate hosts of four Sarcocystis species: Sarcocystis tenella, Sarcocystis gigantea, Sarcocystis arieticanis and Sarcocystis medusiformis The purpose of this study was to perform a molecular identification of the macroscopic and microscopic cysts of Sarcocystis in sheep. In this investigation, the microscopic cysts of Sarcocystis were assessed in slaughtered sheep. The digestion method was used for bradyzoites observation in, esophagus and inter costal muscle samples(P

Keywords: sarcocystis spp, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Iraq.