Molecular Investigating of Sarcocystis fusiformis Infection in cattle (Bos taurus) in Basra Province/ Iraq

Abstract

One of the most common foodborne tissue cyst-forming coccidia endangering public health as well as veterinary medicine is Sarcocystis species. Identifying Sarcocysts infection prevalence in slaughtered cattle (Bos taurus) was the goal of the presented work. Esophageal muscles underwent molecular analysis, macroscopic cyst inspection, and ELISA. Sarcocystis antigens were detected using ELISA test, and the results showed that 160 of 300 cattle (53.3%) were infected. The 18S rDNA gene of 160 from the sarcocyst has been amplified using PCR. Of the samples of cattle esophageal muscles that were tested, 47.5% had a positive PCR result depending on 18S rDNA Sarcocystis. Aligning 18S rDNA sequences as well as phylogenetic sequences of 17 PCR results indicated high identity percents with Sarcocystis fusiformis previously indicated in gene bank. Every Iraqi isolate was added to the gene bank as a new isolate. Age had a statistically significant impact on the molecular and ELISA results.