title: First molecular detection and characterization of Sarcocystis species in slaughtered cattle in North-West Tunisia.
abstract: Sarcocystis spp. is one of the most prevalent foodborne parasites infecting both animals and humans. Consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat is a risk factor of human intestinal sarcocystosis. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Sarcocystis species infecting slaughtered Tunisian cattle in North-West Tunisia (Béja governorate). DNA was extracted from 150 beef meat samples and a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used for identification. The overall infection prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was 38% (57/150). Two species were identified, namely S. hominis (25%; 39/150) and S. cruzi (12%; 18/150). For both species, the highest prevalence was in Thibar locality (52.9 and 17.6% for S. hominis and S. cruzi, respectively). The molecular prevalence of S. cruzi was significantly higher in animals aged between two and eight years (19.2%; 10/52). This is the first molecular identification of Sarcocystis species in Tunisian cattle. Further studies in both human and animal Tunisian populations are needed to rank this parasitic disease among others.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia. Electronic address: amairia.safa@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Safa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amairia
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Yosra
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amdouni
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed Ridha
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Rjeibi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mariem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rouatbi
authors.affiliation: Regional slaughterhouse of Béja, 9000, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awadi
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Parasitologie, Univ. Manouba, Institution de la Recherche et de l'Enseignement Supérieur Agricoles, École Nationale de Médecine Vétérinaire de Sidi Thabet, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gharbi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000469:parasitology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D008460:Meat; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D015995:Prevalence; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000469:parasitology*; D012522:Sarcocystis / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D014416:Tunisia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Cattle; Meat; PCR-RFLP; Sarcocystis; Tunisia