title: Accipiter hawks (Accipitridae) confirmed as definitive hosts of Sarcocystis turdusi, Sarcocystis cornixi and Sarcocystis sp. ex Phalacrocorax carbo.
abstract: Sarcocystis is a large genus of protozoan parasites with complex heteroxenous life cycles. For many species, either the intermediate or the definitive host is still unknown. In this study, 116 Accipiter hawks (Eurasian sparrowhawks and northern goshawks) were investigated for the presence of Sarcocystis spp. in their intestinal tract or their faeces. To gain a wide distribution, samples were collected throughout Germany within 2 years. It was possible to detect Sarcocystis-like oocysts in 65 samples. Sequencing of the ITS region or species-specific PCR identified 33 samples as Sarcocystis turdusi/Sarcocystis sp. ex A. nisus (18), Sarcocystis calchasi (6), Sarcocystis columbae (3), Sarcocystis cornixi (3) and Sarcocystis sp. ex Phalacrocorax carbo (3). Besides the known infestation with S. columbae, S. sp. ex A. nisus and S. calchasi the Accipiter hawks were thereby confirmed as definitive host of S. turdusi, S. cornixi and S. sp. ex Phalacrocorax carbo for the first time.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 91-93, 35392, Giessen, Germany. Sylvia.Mayr@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Sylvia L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 91-93, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maier
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 91-93, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 91-93, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Enderlein
authors.affiliation: Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Achim D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Frankfurter Str. 91-93, 35392, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lierz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005858:Germany; D046428:Hawks / Q000469:parasitology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology*; D033661:Oocysts / Q000166:cytology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D021901:DNA, Intergenic; D016054:DNA, Protozoan
keywords: Accipiter hawks; Amplification of ITS region; Avian Sarcocystis species; Definitive host