Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis spp. in seabirds from southern Brazil

Sarcocystis spp. are cyst forming apicomplexan parasites that infect many vertebrates including birds. Sarcocystis spp. infection was investigated in tissue samples (pectoral muscles, heart, and brain) of 47 dead seabirds collected from the coastline of Santa Catarina State SC - Brazil, between August 2019 and March 2020. A portion of each tissue was fixed in 10% buffered formalin for histopathologic analysis while DNA was extracted from another portion and screened using nested-PCR targeting ITS1. Based on molecular analysis, Sarcocystis spp. were identified in 15/47 (31.9%) seabirds of five species, kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus), neotropic cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus), brown booby (Sula leucogaster) and great skua (Stercorarius skua). Microscopically visible sarcocysts were observed only in the pectoral muscle of four seabirds 8.5% (4/47), while in one brown booby, sarcocysts were seen in both pectoral and cardiac muscles. Two types of sarcocysts, thin walled (≤1 μm) and thick-walled (≥ 2 μm) were identified. Based on ITS1 sequence comparison, S. halieti, S. falcatula and three not yet described Sarcocystis spp. were detected. Phylogenetically, S. falcatula isolates were classified as two distinct clusters. This is the first confirmation of S. halieti in seabird's species in South America and S. falcatula in birds of the order Charadriiformes. Further molecular studies are needed to understand the epidemiology of the Sarcocystis spp. infection and its impact on the health of seabirds.