Detection of Sarcocystis spp in imported frozen and slaughtered chickens by different techniques in Mosul city

Sarcocystosis is an important disease, especially in many types of birds. It is caused by the Sarcoystis parasite, a protozoan that needs two hosts to complete its life cycle. The current study showed diagnosis of Sarcocystis spp. in slaughtered poultry and imported frozen chickens. The infection rate of the Sarcocystis spp parasite of slaughtered chickens was 24.6-40%, respectively. At the same time, the infection of Sarcocystis spp of imported frozen chickens were 51.1 and 66.7% by macroscopic and microscopic examination, respectively. The infection rate of macroscopic cysts among the organs of slaughtered and imported frozen chickens in the pectoral muscles showed the highest percentage 50, 60.9%, while the lowest percentage was in the arm 0-8.7% respectively. The pepsin digestibility test recorded the highest percentage in the microscopic examination, reaching 40 and 66.7% in slaughtered and imported frozen Chickens, respectively. The histopathological examination showed the presence of tachyzoites within the interstitial tissue muscle, with coagulative necrosis, edema with inflammatory cells, congestion, and thickening of blood vessels. In our study, we confirmed the diagnosis of Sarcocystis in locally slaughtered and imported frozen chickens by molecular analysis using genus specific primers with a molecular weight of 700 bp. We found two new local isolates related to the species Sarcocystis wenzeli. Based on morphology and molecular methods, the current research is the first to diagnose Sarcocystis wenzeli infection in slaughtered local chickens and imported frozen chickens in Mosul.