Sarcocystis hemionilatrantis (Sp. N.) life cycle in mule deer and coyotes

Fifteen coyotes (Canis latrans) shed sporulated sporocysts in their feces after eating freshly ground skeletal muscles from a mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) infected with microscopic-sized cysts of Sarcocystis. Sporocysts were shed intermittently from 12 to 36 days after ingestion of the infected meat. Sporocyst size averaged 14.4 X 9.3 mum. Eleven mule deer fawns orally inoculated with these sporocysts became infected and 9 of 11 died between post-inoculation days (PID) 27 and 63. Clinical signs of anorexia, weight loss, pyrexia and weakness were evident prior to death. A calf (Bos taurus) and two lambs (Ovis aries) orally inoculated with these sporocysts did not become infected and remained healthy throughout the experiments. Similarly, uninoculated control animals consisting of three mule deer fawns, two lambs and one calf remained healthy during the experiment. Preliminary histologic examinations conducted on selected tissues from all animals revealed microscopic-sized schizogonous stages in macrophages, between muscle fibers and near blood vessels in the esophagus, heart, biceps femoris, semi-membranosus, diaphragm and tongue from seven of eight fawns which died between PID 27 and 39. Developing or mature muscle cysts were not found in fawn tissue until PID 60. Sarcocysts were found in the three infected fawns examined after this time. Muscle cysts or earlier schizont stages were not found in tissues from the inoculated or uninoculated calves and lambs. A single muscle cyst was found in one control fawn; the other two control fawns were negative for both muscle cysts and other schizogonous stages. These results established that the life cycle of this species of Sarcocystis can be completed with coyotes as the definitive host and mule deer as the intermediate host. Based on the demonstrated host specificity and earlier findings, the name Sarcocystis hemionilatrantis is proposed for this parasite of mule deer and coyotes.