title: Clinical Toxoplasma gondii, Hammondia heydorni, and Sarcocystis spp. infections in dogs.
abstract: Concurrent infections with coccidians Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp., and a Hammondia heydorni-like parasite were identified in tissues of three littermate pups on a Kelpie dog breeding farm in Australia. In total, 20 pups in four litters had died following vaccination with an attenuated distemper virus vaccine. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites were identified immunohistochemically in tissues of two dogs. Sarcocystis sp. sporocysts were seen in the intestinal lamina propria of two dogs. Asexual and sexual stages of H. heydorni-like parasite were found in enterocytes of the small intestine of two dogs. Ultrastructural development of schizonts and gamonts of this parasite is described. None of the protozoa in these dogs reacted with antibodies to Neospora caninum. Feeding of uncooked tissue of sheep was considered to be the likely source of infection for these coccidians in dogs.
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA. jdubey@anri.barc.usda.gov
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fritz
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000469:parasitology; D000818:Animals; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary; D004217:Distemper Virus, Canine / Q000276:immunology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D004285:Dogs; D004848:Epithelium / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination; D016266:Food Parasitology; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000469:parasitology; D021745:Sarcocystidae / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep / Q000469:parasitology; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000635:transmission; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000009:adverse effects; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; D014765:Viral Vaccines