The Fox As Definitive Host for Sarcocystis Sp. Gjerde, 1984 From Skeletal Muscle of Reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus): With a Proposal for Sarcocystis Tarandivulpes N. Sp. As Replacement Name

• Published in: Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
• Main Author: Gjerde, Bjørn
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: BioMed Central 1984
• Subjects: Article; Gjerde; Alopex lagopus; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8287516/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6441474; https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547254

Skeletal muscle of 5 wild reindeer was examined for sarcocysts and used for experimental infection of 6 foxes. Skeletal and cardiac muscle of another reindeer were only examined for sarcocysts. The skeletal muscle of all animals was infected with Sarcocystis sp. In 2 of the animals cysts of S. hardangeri were also present. The single heart examined contained only cysts of S. grueneri. Four foxes given skeletal muscle containing apparently only cysts of Sarcocystis sp., started shedding Sarcocystis sporocysts, measuring on average 13.6×9.8 µm, after a prepatent period of 10–12 days. Two foxes given skeletal muscle containing cysts of both Sarcocystis sp. and S. hardangeri shed similar sporocysts, measuring on average 13.5×9.7 µm, after a prepatent period of 10–12 days. Based on the results from the present and previous investigations, Sarcocystis sp. is considered to have foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Alopex lagopus) and dogs (Ganis familiaris) as definitive hosts, becoming the second species of Sarcocystis with a known reindeer/Canidae life cycle. The name Sarcocystis tarandivulpes n. sp. is proposed as a replacement name for Sarcocystis sp. Gjerde, 1984 from skeletal muscle of reindeer.