Fatal Hepatic Sarcocystosis in a Captive Black Bear (Ursus Americanus) Associated with Sarcocystis Canis-Like Infection

Fatal hepatic sarcocystosis was diagnosed in a 13-year-old captive black bear (Ursus americanus) with a history of acute onset of vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, and bilirubinuria. Gross lesions included severe icterus, multisystemic hemorrhage, and gall bladder edema. The most significant microscop...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation 2011-03, Vol.23 (2), p.379-383
Main Authors: Davies, Jennifer L., Haldorson, Gary J., Bradway, Dan S., Britton, Ann P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
DNA, Protozoan - chemistry
DNA, Protozoan - genetics
Fatal Outcome
Liver Diseases, Parasitic - parasitology
Liver Diseases, Parasitic - veterinary
Male
Polymerase Chain Reaction - veterinary
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - chemistry
RNA, Ribosomal, 18S - genetics
Sarcocystis - genetics
Sarcocystis - isolation & purification
Sarcocystosis - parasitology
Sarcocystosis - veterinary
Ursidae - parasitology
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Summary:Fatal hepatic sarcocystosis was diagnosed in a 13-year-old captive black bear (Ursus americanus) with a history of acute onset of vomiting, polyuria, polydipsia, and bilirubinuria. Gross lesions included severe icterus, multisystemic hemorrhage, and gall bladder edema. The most significant microscopic lesion was severe necrotizing hepatitis with intralesional protozoa that reproduced by endopolygeny consistent with a Sarcocystis spp. Infrequent microglial nodules were randomly scattered within the white matter of the cerebral cortices, thalamus, and brainstem, but intralesional protozoal schizonts were not observed. In the liver, immunohistochemistry was positive for Sarcocystis spp. and negative for Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora spp. Positive staining was not observed in the brain. Genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA gene was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of liver and brain; in both tissues, PCR was positive for Sarcocystis spp. Sequence analysis of the PCR amplicons revealed 100% identity to the published sequences of Sarcocystis canis and Sarcocystis arctosi.
ISSN:1040-6387
1943-4936
DOI:10.1177/104063871102300234