Abstract
Sarcocystosis is induced by species of
, which is an intracellular protozoan parasite in the phylum Apicomplexa. The diversity and importance of
species in sheep and goats in Saudi Arabia are poorly understood. In this study, the tongue, esophagus, heart, diaphragm, and skeletal muscles were collected from 230 sheep and 84 goats, and the tissues were examined for the presence of
species by macroscopic examination and light microscopy. Microscopic
species cysts were found in both sheep and goats. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed
in sheep and
in goats.
species were confirmed for the first time in Saudi Arabian sheep and goats by molecular testing.
was most closely related to
with the COX1 sequences sharing 91.7% identity. A phylogenetic analysis produced similar results and indicated that the
isolates were within a group of
species in which dogs were the final host. Finally, the
species cysts from sheep and goats could be grouped together, indicating that they were strongly related.