title: Phylogenetic analysis of Sarcocystis nesbitti (Coccidia: Sarcocystidae) suggests a snake as its probable definitive host.
abstract: Sarcocystis nesbitti was first described by Mandour in 1969 from rhesus monkey muscle. Its definitive host remains unknown. 18S rRNA gene of S. nesbitti was amplified, sequenced, and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Among those congeners available for comparison, it shares closest affinity with those species of Sarcocystis which use snakes as definitive hosts. We therefore hypothesize that a snake may serve as the definitive host for S. nesbitti.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Genetics Department, Kunming Medical University, 1168 West Chunrong Road, Kunming, Yunnan Province 650500, China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Yuanxiao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lanou
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Benjamin M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yongshu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Detiger B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Dunams
authors.forename: Liwang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Zhaoqing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058507:Host Specificity; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012911:Snakes / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S