204 NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY JOURNAL VOL.

27

Studies on Sarcocystis species III: The macrocystic species of sheep

G. H. Collins·, Elizabeth Atkinson +,
w. A. G. Charleston*
N.Z.vet.J.27: 104-6
ABSTRACT Cy,"

Three forms of macrocyst were studied in sheep. On the basis ~o

of their dimensions and cyst-wall ultrastructure, thin cysts were

found to be a separate species from fat and oesophageal cysts,
but were also transmitted by cats. Sporocysts derived from fat 30
and thin cysts had similar dimensions. It is proposed that the
thin species be named S. medusiformis n.sp.
20
INTRODUCTION
Adult sheep in New Zealand are commonly infected with

I
Sarcocystis species; macrocysts are often found at slaughter 10
in the oesophagus and, less frequently, in the carcass (G. V.
Petersen, pers.comm.). During studies of ovine sarco-
sporidia, two morphologically distinct types of macrocyst
were found in carcass muscle(l). These were provisionally
i 0.1 0.2 0.3
r\!~./W·dth
o.~ 0.5 I
Length
named 'fat' and 'thin' as their identity and relationship to
oesophageal macrocysts was unknown. Further studies were W
made to determine the identity of these macrocysts in sheep. Fig. I. Carcass macrocysts: distribution of -ratios of 503
unselected cysts. L
MATERIALS AND METHODS Ultrastructurally, the walls of oesophageal (Fig. 2) and fat
(a) Macrocyst dimensions (Fig. 3) macrocysts are similar. Both cyst types have villi that
Pieces of abdominal and diaphragmatic muscle, trimmed are irregular and placentiform. The villar and intervillar wall
from ewe carcasses and containing one or more macrocysts, surfaces have frequent blister-like invaginations. A collage-
were obtained from a local meat works. The trimmings were nous secondary cyst wall is present in both cyst types.
stored at 4°C and examined within 24 hours of collection. The The wall of the thin cyst differs from that of the other two
dimensions (length: L and width: W) of 503 macrocysts, un- (Fig. 4); villi are rounded, and blister-like invaginations are
selected for type, found on the surfaces of trimmings were
measured at 6x magnification to the nearest 0.1 mm. TABLE I: TRANSMISSION EXPERIMENTS:
FAT AND THIN CYSTS

(b) Macrocyst wall structure dose

Experimental
Five of each macrocyst type (oesophageal, fat, and thin)
Expt. animals fat cysts thin cysts Result
were fixed and prepared for electron microscopy by standard
procedures. The ultrastructure of the walls of the three macro-
2 kittens 0 15 sporocysts
cyst types was compared.
2 kittens 0 0 -ve
(c) Transmission
2 2 kittens 0 IO sporocysts
Conventionally bred cats and dogs were obtained at
2 kittens 0 0 -ve
weaning and reared free of Sarcocystis infection. Fat and thin
cysts were fed in gelatine capsules in eight separate experi-
ments (Table n. All the faeces of all the experimental animals
3 I kitten 0 25 sporocysts
3 kittens 0 0 -ve
were examined daily for sporocysts by salt floatation for 2
weeks before, and 4 weeks after, dosing. Sporocysts were
4 2 kittens 20 0 sporocysts
measured with a micrometer eyepiece at 400x magnification.
I kitten 0 0 -ve
RESULTS
5 2 puppies 0 30 -ve
The frequency distribution of the ratio width (W)in 503 I puppy 0 0 -ve
length (L)
macrocysts is shown in Fig I. The data show that two popu- 6 3 puppies 0 20 -ve
lations of macrocysts with distinct shapes are present in sheep I puppy 0 0 -ve
carcases. Thin cysts apparently grow mainly in length; fat
cysts in both dimensions. 7 4 puppies 4 0 -ve
7 puppies 0 0 -ve
* Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Massey 8 7 puppies 4 0 -ve
University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
+ Department of Biochemistry, University of London, London, 3 puppies 0 0 -ve
United Kingdom.
1979 NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY JOURNAL 205

Fig. 2. Oesophageal macrocyst wall. (13.500x). Fig. 4. Thin macrocyst wall. (l3.500x).

confined to their bases. Snake-like filaments of even width,

except for their swollen ends. arise from the villar and inter-
villar surfaces. These filaments branch occasionally. No col-
lagenous secondary wall is present.
All the cats fed thin cysts passed sporocysts in their faeces
commencing 12 to 21 days after infection. Both cats given fat
cysts produced sporocysts starting at Day II. The dimensions
of sporocysts derived from fat and thin macrocyst infections
were not significantly different (Table II). Neither dogs nor
control cats produced sporocysts.

TABLE II: TRANSMISSION OF FAT AND THIN CYSTS:

SPOROCYST DIMENSIONS

Sporocyst dimensions (jL)

Expt. range mean± SD n=

thin 10.3-12.5 x 7.3-8.8 12.0±O.6x 7.7±O.4 50

cysts

2
thin 10.5-13.0 x 7.3-8.3 12.1±0.6 x 7.7±0.4 25
cysts

3
thin 12.3-12.8x 7.8-8.8 12.5±0.2 x 8.2±OA 25
cysts

4
fat 10.5-13.0 x 7.3-8.3 12.2±0.6 x 7.7±0.3 25
Fig. 3. Fat macrocyst wall. (13.500x). cysts
 206 NEW ZEALAND VETERINARY JOURNAL
DISCUSSION
The studies indicate that sheep are infected with at least two
species of Sarcocystis that give rise to macrocysts, both of
which cycle through the cat. On morphological grounds, it
appears that oesophageal and fat cysts are the same species.
However, this will only be established beyond doubt when
sporocysts, derived from feeding either form to cats, are
shown to give rise to both cyst forms in sheep.
There is no doubt, however, that the thin cyst is a distinct
species; not only does it have a different shape and wall
structure from the other forms but there are also differences
between fat and thin cysts in the electrophoretic mobility of
cyst-derived enzymes (Atkinson and.Collins. in prep.). The
discovery that there are two macrocystic species reinforces
the need for a reassessment of the taxonomy of Sarcocystis
species in sheep. If. as seems possible, Railliet(3) gave the
name S.tenella (formerly Miescheria tenelLa) to the micro-
VOL. 27
cystic species now known to be transmitted by the dog(2) , and
the oesophageal (fat) species reverts to S.gigantia (formerly
Balbiania gigantid 4 ». then the thin macrocystic species is
without a name. It is proposed that, based on the distinctive
structure of its cyst wall, the thin cyst species be named
S.medusiformis n.sp ..
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
These studies were carried out with the help of a grant from
the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. The authors thank
Dr W. J. Hartley for his preliminary examination of the walls
of the cysts.
REFERENCES
(I) Collins. G. H.: Charleston. W. A. G.: Moriarty. K. M. (1976): Sarcocystis species in
sheep. N.Z.\·et.J. 24: 123·4.
(2) Ford. G. (1975): Prey·predator transmission in the epizootiology of ovine sarcospori·
diosis. AusI.I'et.J. 50: 38·9.
(3) Railliet. A. (1886b): Remarks on Moule. L 1886a. Bull. So('.centr.Med.\·et.40: 130.
(4) Railliet. A. (18860): Psorospermies geanles dans L'oesophage et les ",uscles du ",outon.
BUIl.Sac.centr.Med.\·et.40: 130-4.