COYOTE AS A FINAL HOST FOR SARCOCYSTIS SPECIES OF GOATS, SHEEP, CATTLE, ELK, BISON, AND MOOSE IN MONTANA

Abstract

Tissues (1 kg) from sheep, goats, cattle, moose, bison or elk naturally infected with Sarcocystis species were fed to 1-4 Sarcocystis-free coyotes and the number of sporocysts in feces and intestines were counted. All 12 coyotes fed naturally infected tissues shed Sarcocystis in feces, with a prepatent period of 9-15 days. The 4 coyotes fed infected beef had 15, 25, 113 and 201 million sporocysts in their feces and intestines. The coyotes fed elk, moose or bison had 2.5, 15 and 2.5 million sporocysts in their intestines, respectively. Sporocysts in feces of coyotes fed musculature of cattle, sheep, goats and elk were structurally similar to those described from the feces of dogs. This is the 1st report of the completion of life cycle of Sarcocystis species in moose and bison. Cross-transmission experiments indicated that 1 sp. of goat Sarcocystis completes its life cycle in both dog and coyote and that ovine Sarcocystis is not transmissible to goats.