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© 2018 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

MACROSCOPIC AND MICROSCOPIC STUDIES ON SARCOCYSTIS INFECTION IN 
BUFFALOES - PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT   

 

 

 S.Sivajothi1+ 

 B.Sudhakara Reddy2 

 

1Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Science, 
Proddatur- 516 360, Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University, Andhra 
Pradesh, India.  

 
2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Veterinary Clinical Complex. 
College of Veterinary Science, Proddatur- 516 360 Sri Venkateswara 
Veterinary University, Andhra Pradesh, India 

 
 

 
(+ Corresponding author) 

 ABSTRACT 
 
Article History 
Received: 16 July 2018 
Revised: 28 August 2018 
Accepted: 31 August 2018 
Published: 3 September 2018 
 
 

Keywords 
Buffalo 
Sarcocystis 
Macroscopic 
Microscopic 
Zoonoses. 

 
Sarcocystosis is one of the important zoonotic parasitic diseases and commonly 
reported in buffaloes, cattle and pigs. Meat and meat products are the main sources of 
infection in human beings. The present study aimed to record the prevalence of 
Sarcocystosis in buffaloes during the time of slaughter. Out of 61 buffaloes slaughter for 
meat purpose, 38 showed the presence of macroscopic sarcocysts in different organs and 
they were in creamy colour lying parallel in between the muscle bundles. Distribution 
of the sarcocysts was noticed in the muscles of oesophagus, diaphragm, heart and base 
of the tongue. Microscopic examination of the stained impression smears collected from 
the mixed meat which is ready for sale from the 61 buffaloes, 52 were found positive for 
microscopic bradyzoites. In conclusion, Sarcocystis is more prevalent in buffaloes and 
diagnosis of the disease can be done by microscopic examination of the stained slide 
impression smears from the suspected meat along with the macroscopic examination of 
the muscles. 
 

Contribution/Originality: This study is one of the very few studies which have investigated the diagnosis of 

zoonotic disease in veterinary sciences. This study contributes in the existing literature on diagnosis of the 

Sarcocystosis in the mixed meat which is readily available for sale to the public and caution as a public health alert. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Most of the parasites in livestock reduce the body growth and economy for the farmers.  Sarcocystis is a cyst 

forming coccidian parasite and it requires two hosts i.e. carnivores which will act as definitive host; herbivores and 

humans act as intermediate host. It is transmitted by the ingestion of the bradyzoites contaminated and 

undercooked meat and by accidental ingestion of the oocysts excreted by definitive hosts. During the disease 

process chronic pyrexia, emaciation, neurological signs, debility and death are noticed [1]. However, most of the 

animals infected with Sarcocystosis appear to be normal and healthy at the time of clinical examination and found 

positive while conducting the post-mortem. Routinely it was diagnosed by the direct visualization of the cysts, 

examination of the impression smears, histopathology, digestion methods and serological methods. In humans, 

Sarcocystosis caused by intake of the raw or undercooked beef containing the larval stages of Sarocystis hominis [2]. 

Throughout the world, different literature and information was available on Sarcocystis diagnosis during the time 

of slaughter and examination of the minced meat of animals [3, 4]. But literature was very limited on the 

examination of Sarcocystis in the impression smears collected from the meat. Hence the present study was started 

Animal Review 
2018 Vol. 5, No.1, pp. 8-11 
ISSN(e): 2409-6490 
ISSN(p): 2412-3382 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.ar.2018.51.8.11 
© 2018 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1720-9308
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1002-3778
https://www.doi.org/10.18488/journal.ar.2018.51.8.11


Animal Review, 2017, 5(1): 8-11 

 

 
9 

© 2018 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

to record the incidence of Sarcocystis in buffaloes during the time of  slaughter and analysis of the slide impression 

smears collected from the mixed meat which is ready for sale for human consumption. 

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 

The present study was carried out at Proddatur of YSR Kadapa district, Andhra Pradesh, India, from August 

2015 to February 2016. During the study period, the slaughter of the 61 buffaloes for meat purpose was screened 

for Sarcocystis. At the time of slaughter visual inspection of the meat samples were carried out for the presence of 

macroscopic sarcocysts and their anatomical distribution. Few macro sarcocysts were isolated from the muscles, 

placed in separate vials for the assessment of the gross morphology. Slide impression smears were collected 

randomly from all the animals’ meat which is ready for sale. This meat consists of muscles of the different parts of 

the body. Microscopic examination of the slide impression smears was done to record the incidence of Sarcocystis in 

mixed meat samples which are ready for sale [5]. 

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

 At the time of slaughter out of 61 buffaloes, 38 showed the presence of macroscopic sarcocysts in different 

organs and it was in creamy colour lying between in parallel to the muscle bundles (Fig.1). Microscopic 

examination of the stained impression smears collected from the mixed meat of 61 buffaloes, 52 buffaloes were 

found positive for microscopic bradyzoites (Fig.2). Distribution of the sarcocysts was noticed in the muscles of 

oesophagus, diaphragm, heart and base of the tongue. 

Sarcocystis is one of the obligatory intercellular parasites in mammals. Most of the large ruminants show the 

subclinical infection and presence of macro or micro cyst formation in the muscles [6]. In bovines, it causes the 

huge reduction in the production by reducing the body eight, low feed conversion ratio, abnormal clinical changes, 

susceptibility for other disease conditions and death [3]. In humans, it is caused by consumption raw and 

undercooked meat which containing bradyzoites of Sarcocystis.  Li, et al. [7] was recorded the clinical disease in 

humans with clinical diseases abdominal distension, watery diarrhoea, vomiting, chilling and fever, dizziness, pain 

and anorexia [7]. Clinical disease in humans was noticed by the ingestion of oocysts from the dogs and after 10 

days and 12 days of post-infection, sporocysts forms were detected in faeces of humans [2]. 

Muscle wise prevalence of infection was also reported and it is high in the tongue, oesophagus and cardiac 

muscles and the study findings were in association with the previous literature [1, 8]. Most of the buffaloes in the 

present study were used to go for grazing over the open areas where more population of pet dogs is there and 

buffaloes used to intake the water and feed contaminated with the sporocysts voided by the infected dogs. Voided 

sporocysts are in huge in number and they can survive in the external environment for several months which 

results in higher prevalence of infection. It is very essential to educate the public about the zoonotic aspect of this 

disease and its transmission. It had zoonotic significance, it is essential to formulate the appropriate control 

strategy. 

 

4. CONCLUSION 

The results of the present study indicated a high incidence of Sarcocystis spp. infection in buffaloes.  It is 

recommended that microscopic examination of slide impression smears collected from the meat is essential to 

diagnose the Sarcocystosis for screening of the disease. 

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support.    
Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.  
Contributors/Acknowledgement: The authors are thankful to the authorities of Sri Venkateswara 
Veterinary University, Tirupati for providing the facilities to carry out the research work and a great 
respect to everyone who gave help in performing this study. 

 



Animal Review, 2017, 5(1): 8-11 

 

 
10 

© 2018 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

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Fig-1. Recovered macroscopic sarcocysts from the diaphragm 

                                   Source: Figure was constituted from the inspection of meat of current study 
 

 

https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=Prevalence,%20biology,%20and%20distribution%20pattern%20of%20Sarcocystis%20infection%20in%20water%20buffalo%20(Bubalus%20bubalis)%20in%20Iran
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9601-7
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=Human%20infections%20with%20Sarcocystis%20species
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http://dx.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2016.1461-1465
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12639-016-0796-z
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=Sarcocystis%20Spp.%20Prevalence%20in%20bovine%20minced%20meat:%20A%20histological%20and%20molecular%20study
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https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=Prevalence%20and%20distribution%20patterns%20of%20Sarcocystis%20spp.%20in%20buffaloes%20in%20Beni-Suef,%20Egypt
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11250-011-9840-2


Animal Review, 2017, 5(1): 8-11 

 

 
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© 2018 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
Fig-2. Presence of the microscopic bradyzoites in the stained impression smears (1000X) 

                                 Source: Figure was constituted from the microscopic view of samples of current study 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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