A novel Sarcocystis neurona genotype XIII is associated with severe encephalitis in an unexpectedly broad range of marine mammals from the northeastern Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Sarcocystis neurona is an important cause of protozoal encephalitis among marine mammals in the northeastern Pacific Ocean. To characterize the genetic type of S. neurona in this region, samples from 227 stranded marine mammals, most with clinical or pathological evidence of protozoal disease, were tested for the presence of coccidian parasites using a nested PCR assay. The frequency of S. neurona infection was 60% (136/227) among pinnipeds and cetaceans, including seven marine mammal species not previously known to be susceptible to infection by this parasite. Eight S. neurona fetal infections identified this coccidian parasite as capable of being transmitted transplacentally. Thirty-seven S. neurona-positive samples were multilocus sequence genotyped using three genetic markers: SnSAG1-5-6, SnSAG3 and SnSAG4. A novel genotype, referred to as Type XIII within the S. neurona population genetic structure, has emerged recently in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and is significantly associated with an increased severity of protozoal encephalitis and mortality among multiple stranded marine mammal species.

Pinnipediae

“…Several cases have also been identified in captive animals (Lapointe et al, 1998). Harbor seals are the most commonly reported species to develop severe fatal disease with infection, and in California subadults and adults are primarily affected (Barbosa et al, 2015;Miller, 2008). Lesions include nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis which is often most severe in the cerebellum and can be associated with numerous organisms (Lapointe et al 1998) (Fig.…”

“…Rosetteform schizonts with occasionally visible residual bodies can be used to differentiate organisms from T. gondii. Barbosa et al (2015) reported a novel genotype, Type XIII, associated with increased severity of encephalitis in multiple marine mammal species.…”

First molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona causing meningoencephalitis in a domestic cat in Brazil

“…Sarcocystis neurona is the main agent associated with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), an important neurologic disease of horses in the American continent (Dubey et al 2015). In addition, neurologic disease caused by S. neurona has been occasionally described in several other terrestrial animals (Dubey et al, 2000), and this parasite has arisen as a significant cause of mortality in marine mammals (Barbosa et al 2015). Opossums, Didelphis virginiana in North America (Fenger et al 1995) and Didelphis albiventris in South America (Dubey et al, 2001a), are known definitive Section Editor: Daniel K. Howe Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-019-06570-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.…”

Detection of Sarcocystis spp. infection in bobcats ( Lynx rufus )

“…It causes fatal disease in horses (equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, EPM), marine and terrestrial mammals, including companion animals (Barbosa et al, 2015; Dubey et al, 2015a). Opossums ( Didelphis virginiana, D. albiventris ) are the definitive host and domestic cats ( Felis catus ), skunk ( Mephitis mephitis ), armadillo ( Dasypus novemcinctus ), raccoons ( Procyon lotor ), and sea otters ( Enhydra lutris kenyoni ) are proven intermediate hosts of S. neurona (Dubey et al, 2015a).…”