A Histopathological Appraisal of Ovine Sarcocystosis in Kelantan

Abstract

Sarcocystosis is most frequently seen in older sheep and goats. Sarcocystosis is caused by specific protozoan not considered pathogenic for humans in the United States, although it was recognized in other investigations of zoonotic risk and importance. Histopathology examination of myocardial muscles from 72 necropsies of ovine species in Kelantan state at the Department of Veterinary Services and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine /UMK revealed that 38% of the post mortem animals with morpho-microscopic changes of either Mild, Moderate or Severe Sarcocysts species parasitisim. The histopathological interpretation and assessment of tissue sections from the natural cases of myocardial protozoa infection indicate an alteration of pathological entity started as myodegeneration upgraded by myonecrosis and the most sever condition was the myocarditis of eosinophilic nature and vasculitis. Few cases showed a mixed and combined existence of most histo- changes mentioned earlier. Sarcocysts were clearly recognized in the tissue sections of all examined cases.