MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF SARCOCYTIS FUSIFORMIS AND SARCOCYSTIS BUFFALONIS INFECTING WATER BUFFALOES (BUBALUS BUBALIS) FROM EGYPT

Parasites of the genus Sarcocystis have the ability to infect wide range of animals, birds and reptiles. Water buffaloes are intermediate hosts for four Sarcocystis species; S. fusiformis, S. buffalonis, S. levinei and S. dubeyi. There was no previous molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. parasitizing water buffaloes from Egypt. The current study was established to screen infection rates and apply genetic identification of the macroscopic Sarcocystis spp. infecting Egyptian water buffalos in El-Gharbia province, Egypt. Sarcocysts of both S. fusiformis and S. buffalonis were grossly examined through meat inspection in slaughterhouse, followed by histological identification of the detected sarcocysts. Finally, molecular identification using PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene was conducted. Comparison of the obtained sequences of the local tested isolates of both S. fusiformis and S. buffalonis with those previously reported for different Sarcocystis species those were recorded in Genbank, revealed that all the tested specimens represented both S. fusiformis and S. buffalonis. Moreover, sequence alignments of the partial 18S rRNA gene ascertained the presence of genetic variations revealing the heterogenic nature of the gene among different strains of the same Sarcocystis species in relation to the geographic distribution.