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Sarcocystis suihominis
Humans serve as definitive hosts.
Epidemiology:
- cases reported in Europe, Mediterranean area, northern & western Africa, Indonesia & South America
Pathology:
1) intestinal infection is acquired by ingestion of raw or incompletely cooked pork that contain tissue cysts (sarcocysts)
2) infection is self-limited because asexual reproduction occurs in intermediate host (pigs)
3) oocyst formation is limited by the number of sarcocysts ingested
4) appears to be somewhat more pathogenic than S. hominis.
Clinical manifestations:
1) generally asymptomatic
2) transient abdominal pain, diarrhea, or anorexia
Laboratory:
1) diagnosis is made by recovery of sporocysts in feces
2) oocysts are thin-walled & often not dectable or ruptured with release of 2 sporocysts
3) sporocysts
a) measure 25 by 30 um
b) each contains 4 sporozoites
c) best seen on wet mount or with acid-fast staining, trichrome stains of little value
d) larger than oocysts of Cryptosporidia
Management: no specific therapy exists
Related
definitive (final) host
intermediate (secondary) host
oocyst
sporocyst
sporozoite
General
Sarcocystis
Properties
KINGDOM: animal
PHYLUM: protozoa
References
- Clinical Diagnosis & Management by Laboratory Methods,
19th edition, J.B. Henry (ed), W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia,
PA. 1996, pg 1280
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995