Hammondia heydorni oocysts in the faeces of a greyhound in New Zealand.
OBJECTIVE
To identify oocysts found in faecal material of a greyhound.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing were used to study genomic DNA isolated from oocysts purified from faeces of a greyhound.


RESULTS
Database searches with the DNA sequences obtained showed they were derived from Hammondia heydorni. A species-specific PCR was developed to detect H. heydorni DNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Light microscopy in conjunction with PCR and DNA sequencing definitively identified the presence of H. heydorni oocysts in faeces of a greyhound.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirms the presence of H. heydorni in New Zealand and indicates the need to correctly identify similar oocysts from dogs, rather than assume they are Neospora caninum.
Ellis
J T
JT
Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Technology, Sydney NSW 2065, Australia.
Pomroy
W E
WE