This species which has its schizonts and tissue cysts in pigeons, and its gamo- and sporogony in raptor birds, is very pathogenic for pigeons, since extremely large numbers of tissue cysts inside muscles are produced. Pathologic effects are so severe that very high death rates occur after an infection (Fig. 1). The primary cyst wall inside the muscle fibers is smooth and is not provided with protrusions (Fig. 2a, b). The metrocytes and cystozoites (cyst merozoites) are enclosed in chamber-like hollows, which are separated from each other by thin septae consisting of amorphic material (Fig. 2b, c).
Light micrograph of tissue cysts in a pigeon
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Further Readings
Olias P et al (2010a) Sarcocystis species lethal for domestic pigeons. Emerg Infect Dis 16:497–499
Olias P et al (2010b) Sarcocystis calchasi sp. nov. of the domestic pigeon (Columba livia) and the Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis): light and electron microscopic studies. Parasitol Res 106:577–585
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Mehlhorn, H. (2016). Sarcocystis calchasi . In: Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Parasitology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-43978-4_4308
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