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Molecular identification of Sarcocystis halieti n. sp., Sarcocystis lari and Sarcocystis truncata in the intestine of a white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Norway.

ABSTRACT: An emaciated white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) from Western Norway was found and nursed briefly before it died. The necropsy revealed that the principal cause of death was an inflammation and occlusion of the bile ducts. A secondary finding was the presence in the intestinal mucosa of numerous sporulated Sarcocystis oocysts measuring 21.8-22.8 × 16.0-17.0 μm. The aim of this study was to identify these oocysts to species level using molecular methods. Genomic DNA was extracted from 10 mucosal scrapings containing oocysts and subjected to PCR amplification and sequencing of four DNA regions: the 18S and 28S rRNA genes, the ITS1 region and the cox1 gene. DNA of three previously known Sarcocystis spp. was identified, but only two of these, Sarcocystis halieti n. sp. and Sarcocystis lari, both employing sea birds as intermediate hosts, were considered to have used the sea eagle as a definitive host and to have formed oocysts in its intestine. The third species found, Sarcocystis truncata, employs red deer as intermediate hosts and seems to use felids as definitive hosts based on its phylogenetic position and prevalence. The sea eagle had probably recently ingested portions of one of the latter hosts (red deer or cat/lynx) containing stages (sarcocysts/oocysts) and thus DNA of S. truncata. The species S. halieti and S. lari could only be unambiguously separated from their most closely related congeners on the basis of their ITS1 sequences. This is the first report of Sarcocystis oocysts in sea eagles and the first identification to species level of Sarcocystis oocysts in any type of eagle. The sea eagle also acted as intermediate host of an unidentified Sarcocystis spp. as evidenced by the finding of six thin-walled sarcocysts in a histological section of cardiac muscle.

SUBMITTER: Gjerde B

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5730365 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BACKGROUND:Capillary electrophoresis of plasma proteins has shown great potential as a complementary diagnostic tool for avian species. However, reference intervals for plasma proteins are sparse or lacking for several free-living avian species. The current study reports electrophoretic patterns and concentrations of plasma proteins determined for 70 free-living white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings from two locations in Norway (Steigen and Smøla) in order to establish reference values for this subpopulation using capillary electrophoresis. The nestlings were between 44 and 87 days of age, and the plasma protein concentrations were investigated for age, sex, year (2015 and 2016) and location differences. To our knowledge, this is the first report of reference intervals of plasma proteins analysed by capillary electrophoresis in free-living white-tailed eagle nestlings. RESULTS:The plasma protein concentrations (% of total protein, mean ± SE) were determined for prealbumin (13.7%, 4.34 ± 0.15 g/L), albumin (46.7%, 14.81 ± 0.24 g/L), α1-globulin (2.4%, 0.74 ± 0.03 g/L), α2-globulin (11.7%, 3.72 ± 0.06 g/L), β-globulin (15.9%, 5.06 ± 0.08 g/L) and γ-globulin (9.6%, 3.05 ± 0.09 g/L). Significant differences were found between the two locations for prealbumin, α2- and γ-globulins. No significant differences were found between the two sampling years or sexes, and no effect of age was found for any of the plasma proteins. However, prealbumin levels were several folds higher than previously reported from adults of closely related birds of prey species. There were no other studies on capillary electrophoresis of nestling plasma available for comparison. CONCLUSION:Significant differences were found between sampling locations for prealbumin, α2- and γ-globulins, which may indicate differences in inflammatory or infectious status between nestlings at the two locations. Sampling year, sex or age had no significant effect on the plasma protein concentrations. These results provide novel data on plasma protein concentrations by capillary electrophoresis and may be useful for evaluation of health status in free-living white-tailed eagle nestlings.

Dataset Information

Molecular identification of Sarcocystis halieti n. sp., Sarcocystis lari and Sarcocystis truncata in the intestine of a white-tailed sea eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) in Norway.

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