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Review
. 2025 Sep 1;12(9):842.
doi: 10.3390/vetsci12090842.

Sarcocystosis in Farm Animals in Brazil: A One-Health Approach

Michel Dos Santos Pinto  1 , João Alfredo Biagi Camargo Neto  1 , Carlos Wilson Gomes Lopes  2 , Fernando Paiva  3 , Luiz Daniel de Barros  4 , Gustavo Felippelli  1 , Fernando de Souza Rodrigues  5 , Giovanni Widmer  6 , Katia Denise Saraiva Bresciani  1
Affiliations
Review

Sarcocystosis in Farm Animals in Brazil: A One-Health Approach

Michel Dos Santos Pinto et al. Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic infection caused by obligate intracellular coccidia, which infect humans, domestic animals, and wildlife. More than 200 Sarcocystis species have already been identified, but for many of these, the life cycle, pathogenesis, and clinical signs remain unclear. The infection is cosmopolitan, with high prevalence in cattle herds worldwide. Although the clinical disease in definitive hosts is considered rare, the high number of sporocysts released by them drives the incidence in production animals. Furthermore, sarcocystosis has some One Health relevance due to its zoonotic potential, especially concerning species infecting primates. Few studies have reported on the epidemiology of sarcocystosis in Brazil. However, a high prevalence of the disease was found in areas where investigations of Sarcocystis species were conducted, which highlights the potential for foodborne transmission to humans. Therefore, it is relevant to study this parasitic disease so that control and prophylaxis measures can be adopted. This study aims to review the current state of knowledge on Sarcocystis spp. in farm animals in Brazil.

Keywords: carnivores; epidemiology; horse; ruminants; zoonoses.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biological cycle of Apicomplexa protozoa of genus Sarcocystis, including definitive hosts (carnivores/omnivores) and intermediate hosts (herbivores). Sporocysts are released in the feces of definitive hosts. Intermediate hosts become infected by ingesting sporocysts along with food and water. In these hosts, asexual reproduction occurs within the endothelial cells through the processes of schizogony and merogony. Merozoites are released into the bloodstream, migrate to the intermediate host’s musculature, and form sarcocysts filled with bradyzoites. Definitive hosts become infected by ingesting the intermediate host’s musculature containing the sarcocysts. Sexual reproduction of the agent occurs within the intestinal cells of definitive hosts, culminating in the formation of oocysts that contain sporocysts, which are released into the environment along with the feces.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Spatial distribution of the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle, sheep, buffaloes, pigs, and horses according to studies carried out in Brazil. The parasite’s occurrence is well-reported in the southern region of the country, particularly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and Santa Catarina (SC). The Central-West (states of Goiás [GO], Mato Grosso [MT], and Mato Grosso do Sul [MS]) and Southeast (states of São Paulo [SP], Minas Gerais [MG], Espírito Santo [ES], and Rio de Janeiro [RJ]) regions are poorly studied. Map created with QGIS 3.28.9 software, using freely accessible shapefiles from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) from 2023.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Spatial distribution of the occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. in dogs and cats according to studies carried out in Brazil. The occurrence of Sarcocystis spp. was reported in six states, including São Paulo (SP), Paraná (PR), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Mato Grosso (MT), Bahia (BA), and Sergipe (SE). Map created with QGIS 3.28.9 software, using freely accessible shapefiles from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) from 2023.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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