Sarcocystis calchasi

Sarcocystis calchasi is an apicomplexan parasite. It has been identified to be the cause of Pigeon protozoal encephalitis (PPE) in the intermediate hosts, domestic pigeons (Columba livia).[1] PPE is a central-nervous disease of domestic pigeons. Initially there have been reports of this parasite in Germany, with an outbreak in 2008[2] and in 2011[3] in the United States. Sarcocystis calchasi is transmitted by the definitive host Accipter hawks.[4]

Sarcocystis calchasi
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
(unranked):
SAR
(unranked):
Alveolata
Phylum:
Apicomplexa
Class:
Conoidasida
Order:
Eucoccidiorida
Family:
Sarcocystidae
Genus:
Sarcocystis
Species:
S. calchasi
Binomial name
Sarcocystis calchasi

Pigeon Protozoal Encephalitis

Pigeons infected with S. calchasi show a biphasic disease with polyuria, diarrhea and apathy. In the later periods of infection, severe central nervous signs such as torticollis and opisthotonus associated with severe brain lesions have been observed. Mature tissue cysts were observed in skeletal muscles in the post infection stage.[4] Encephalitis has been reported to be associated with the schizont stage of the parasite's development.

In the USA

In 2011, domestic pigeons in Minnesota, USA were observed with a neurological disease. Tissue cysts of a protozoan parasite were present in the skeletal muscle. The pigeons had severe granulomatous meningoencephalitis. The cysts morphology was observed to be slender, up to 1 mm long and up to 0.03 mm in diameter. The cysts had a smooth wall without projections. It was concluded that the size and wall morphology observed in the pigeons in Minnesota were compatible with Sarcocystis calchasi.[3]

Thesis
  • Aleksandra Zuraw: Is There Evidence of Sarcocystis Calchasi Involvement in Meningoencephalitis of Unknown Origin in Mammals? A Retrospective Study, Mensch und Buch, Berlin 2016, ISBN 978-3-86387-684-5 (Thesis/Dissertation Freie Universität Berlin 2015, Inhaltsverzeichnis).

References
  1. Maier, Kristina; Olias, Philipp; Enderlein, Dirk; Klopfleisch, Robert; Mayr, Sylvia L.; Gruber, Achim D.; Lierz, Michael (2015-01-02). "Parasite distribution and early-stage encephalitis in Sarcocystis calchasi infections in domestic pigeons (Columba livia f. domestica)". Avian Pathology. 44 (1): 5–12. doi:10.1080/03079457.2014.978263. ISSN 0307-9457. PMID 25338141.
  2. Olias, Philipp; Gruber, Achim D.; Kohls, Andrea; Hafez, Hafez M.; Heydorn, Alfred Otto; Mehlhorn, Heinz; Lierz, Michael (2010). "Sarcocystis Species Lethal for Domestic Pigeons - Volume 16, Number 3—March 2010 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal - CDC". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 16 (3): 497–499. doi:10.3201/eid1603.090860. PMC 3322016. PMID 20202429. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
  3. Wünschmann, A.; Armien, A. G.; Reed, L.; Gruber, A. D.; Olias, P. (2011-12-01). "Sarcocystis calchasi-Associated Neurologic Disease in a Domestic Pigeon in North America". Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. 58 (6): 526–530. doi:10.1111/j.1865-1682.2011.01254.x. ISSN 1865-1682. PMID 21848932.
  4. Olias, Philipp; Meyer, Anne; Klopfleisch, Robert; Lierz, Michael; Kaspers, Bernd; Gruber, Achim D. (2013-02-11). "Modulation of the host Th1 immune response in pigeon protozoal encephalitis caused by Sarcocystis calchasi". Veterinary Research. 44 (1): 10. doi:10.1186/1297-9716-44-10. ISSN 1297-9716. PMC 3598538. PMID 23398807.
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