Emerging Infectious Disease ISSN: 1080-6059

Sarcocystis Species Lethal for Domestic Pigeons

Philipp Olias

, Achim D. Gruber, Andrea Kohls, Hafez M. Hafez, Alfred Otto Heydorn, Heinz Mehlhorn, and Michael Lierz¹

Author affiliations: Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany (P. Olias, A.D. Gruber, A. Kohls, H.M. Hafez, A.O. Heydorn, M. Lierz); Heinrich-Heine-Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany (H. Mehlhorn)

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Figure 2

A) Microscopic appearance of liver with tissue necrosis, lymphohistiocytic inflammation, and Sarcocystis schizonts (arrows) in a pigeon 8 days after infection with 105 Sarcocystis sporocysts. Hematoxylin and eosin stain; scale bar = 20 μm. B) Transmission electron micrograph of a hepatocyte from liver in panel A, containing a schizont, forming cross-sectioned and longitudinally sectioned merozoites. N, nucleus; PV, parasitophorous vacuole; M, merozoite. Scale bar = 20 μm.

Figure 2. A) Microscopic appearance of liver with tissue necrosis, lymphohistiocytic inflammation, and Sarcocystis schizonts (arrows) in a pigeon 8 days after infection with 10⁵ Sarcocystis sporocysts. Hematoxylin and eosin stain; scale bar = 20 μm. B) Transmission electron micrograph of a hepatocyte from liver in panel A, containing a schizont, forming cross-sectioned and longitudinally sectioned merozoites. N, nucleus; PV, parasitophorous vacuole; M, merozoite. Scale bar = 20 μm.

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¹Current affiliation: Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany.

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