Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40065382›Full record

ArticleParasites & vectors2025

Morphological and molecular characterisation of Sarcocystis capracanis, Sarcocystis cornagliai and Sarcocystis rossii n. sp. infecting the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex).

Eglė Rudaitytė-Lukošienė, Steffen Rehbein, Rafael Calero-Bernal, Dalius Butkauskas, Petras Prakas

Abstract read
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Article in Parasites & vectors, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026
    Article
  2. Molecular Evidence of the Role of the Red Fox (Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026
    Article
  3. High prevalence ofInternational journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife · 2025
    Article
  4. Description ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Eglė Rudaitytė-LukošienėNature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania. egle.rudaityte@gmail.com.
Steffen RehbeinFormerly Kathrinenhof Research Center, 83101, Rohrdorf, Germany.
Rafael Calero-BernalSALUVET Group, Animal Health Department, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Dalius ButkauskasNature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Petras PrakasNature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, 08412, Vilnius, Lithuania.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe cyst-forming coccidia of the genus Sarcocystis (Sarcocystidae) are widespread protists of mammals, particularly of domestic and wild ruminants. Research on genus Sarcocystis in wild members of the subfamily Caprinae is, however, rather limited. Sarcocystis in the Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) have only been investigated in depth once and then solely by morphological techniques. In the current investigation we aimed to morphologically and genetically characterise Sarcocystis species of Alpine ibex in Austria.

methodsSarcocysts detected in the diaphragm and myocardium muscles were morphologically described using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Isolated sarcocysts were molecularly identified and characterised at the level of the 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and cytochrome c oxidase I gene (cox1). The obtained sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analysis.

resultsThree Sarcocystis species, namely S. capracanis, S. cornagliai and S. rossii n. sp., were found in Alpine ibex. For the first time, we genetically characterised S. cornagliai, which is most closely related to Sarcocystis species that are transmitted by corvid birds. Sarcocysts of S. rossii n. sp. were found to be ribbon-shaped, with pointed tips. Hair-like protrusions about 5 μm in length were observed on sarcocyst walls. Observation of toluidine blue-stained semi-thin sections revealed that the sarcocyst of S. rossii n. sp. was thin-walled. Using TEM, cyst walls were observed to be similar to type 7a, with thin hair-like villar protrusions on the cyst wall, which were filled with many fine electron-dense granules. The ground substance layer was particularly thin, measuring 0.2-0.4 μm. The cox1 sequences of S. rossii n. sp. had the highest similarity to those of Sarcocystis arieticanis and Sarcocystis hircicanis. Sarcocystis rossii n. sp. had a close phylogenetic relationship with species that use canids as definitive hosts.

conclusionsThis study confirms the role of the Alpine ibex as an intermediate host of three Sarcocystis species and sets a new host record for S. capracanis. It also provides the first molecular data on Sarcocystis from Alpine ibex and on S. cornagliai. In addition, a new species, S. rossii, was identified and described. Phylogenetic analyses suggested corvid birds and canids as potential definitive hosts for S. cornagliai and S. rossii n. sp., respectively.

Indexed as

Goat DiseasesGoatsSarcocystisSarcocystosisAnimalsAustriaDiaphragmDNA, ProtozoanElectron Transport Complex IVMicroscopy, Electron, TransmissionPhylogenyRNA, Ribosomal, 18SDNA, ProtozoanElectron Transport Complex IVRNA, Ribosomal, 18S18S rRNAAlpine ibexcox1PhylogenySarcocystisTEM

Identifiers

PMID40065382
PMCPMC11892209

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.