Ghazaaleh Adhami - Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj Branch, Sanandaj, Iran
Khashayar Behzadi - Student of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj Branch, Sanandaj, Iran
Samaneh Shakeri - Graduate of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Islamic Azad University, Sanandaj Branch, Sanandaj, Iran

Background and aim: Sarcocystis is an apicomplexan heteroxenous protozoa causing several outcomes in sheep such as significant loss of production, with remarkable importance in terms of public health. Hamedan has a potent background in animal husbandry and livestock breeding; however, lack of molecular prevalence data on Sarcocystis spp. in slaughtered sheep lead us to conduct the present investigation using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. Methods: The carcass of ۴۰ sheep slaughtered in Hamedan abattoir were observed and sampled during ۲۰۱۹-۲۰۲۰. Heart, scapular, esophageal and diaphragmatic muscles were macroscopically examined and recorded as positive in case of the presence of tissue cyst. In the following, ۵۰ grams of each muscle was sliced and transferred to the laboratory on ice for microscopic and molecular analysis. The molecular identification of Sarcocystis spp. was done using PCR-RFLP method. Results: By microscopy, all specimens contained bradyzoites in cysts. Molecular analysis further revealed the species of Sarcocystis, namely Sarcocystis gigantea (S. gigantea), S. tenella and S. arieticanis. Conclusion: The present study emphasized that three Sarcocystis spp. are circulating among sheep and carnivorous hosts in Hamedan region. Of note, further molecular investigations are highly recommended to better evaluate the epidemiology of this zoonotic parasite.

Sarcocystis, PCR-RFLP, Hamedan, Sheep, Muscle