Identification of Sarcocystis spp. by polymerase chain reaction and microscopic examination in various beef products (minced meat, meatballs, fermented sausage)

Abstract

Sarcocystis species are the most commonly encountered parasitic organisms in animals. Sarcocystis hominis (Sarcocystis bovihominis), the species found in beef cattle, is not visible macroscopically in muscle tissue. In recent years it has been established that, in addition to being a zoonotic parasite transmitted via the consumption of beef, the parasite produces toxins and causes food poisoning. Therefore, this study was undertaken in order to determine the extent to which Sarcocystis species are present in minced meat, meatballs, and fermented sausages produced from beef and marketed in Kars. A total of 150 samples, 50 of each product, were collected in the city center from butcher's shops, from businesses that produce such items, and from general stores. In order to detect sarcocysts in the samples, the cysts revealed by an enzymatic digestion test were examined microscopically. Genomic DNA extracted from the samples was stored at-20 °C for analysis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The microscopic analysis revealed that the parasite was present in 2 samples of minced meat (4%) and 1 sample of meatballs (2%). Analysis by PCR revealed that the parasite was present in 14 samples of minced meat (28%), 34 samples of meatballs (68%), and 1 sample of sausage (2%). These results indicate that the use of PCR in the routine analysis of meat preparations for the presence of Sarcocystis species should be increased, since the application of this technique would provide analysts with more conclusive results than examination by microscope.

Histopathological Survey on <i>Sarcocystis</i> Species Infection in Slaughtered Cattle of Zabol-Iran

“…(92.2% of tissue samples with S. cruzi and 14% with S. hirsuta or S. hominis). These findings are in accordance to some investigations which have found in other countries: 100% in Brazil (23), 100% in Argentina (4), 100% in the United States (3), 97.4% in Belgium (24), 97.8% in Iraq (25) and 93.4% in Turkey (Iran border countries) (26). Whereas, the infection rate in the present study is considerable higher than Egypt, 7.45 (20), Malaysia, 36.2% (2), Philippines, 55% (27) and Ethiopia 82% (28).…”

First molecular identification and phylogenetic illustration of Sarcocystis species infection in Red Sea shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810)

“…The PCR method is considered a valuable tool for identifying Sarcocystis alongside fundamental morphological methods to overcome the difficulties and erroneous results of the later [26]. Together with the gross examination, the 18S rRNA gene screening in the current study confirmed the identification of Sarcocystis sp.…”

Molecular identification using 18S ribosomal RNA of Sarcocystis spp. in bovine minced meat in Van Province, Turkey

“…As expected, Sarcocystis species were found in high prevalence in minced meat. Although there is no definite finding on S. hominis related to public health in our study, it is recommended that meat and meat products to be consumed be frozen in deep freeze for 1 day or cooked over 70°C for 8-15 minutes (20,37). Additionally, it is very important to control the disease in that the organs and tissues of the intermediate host should not be fed to cats or dogs raw or undercooked.…”

“…Therefore, it is thought that Turkish people consuming raw or undercooked beef products may have serious health problems. In addition, these studies have been mostly performed using conventional diagnostic methods (2,30,31,36,39,41), whereas there are only a limited number of molecular diagnostic studies in Turkey (12,20). Remarkably, the molecular characterization studies are insufficient in Turkey.…”