A comparative light and electron microscope study of the cysts of Sarcocystis species of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Abstract

Sarcocystis muscle cysts of naturally infected roe deer were examined by light and electron microscopy. Two types of thin- and thick-walled cysts could be distinguished by light microscopy, whereas by electron microscopy six types of cyst walls could be differentiated on the basis of the size and shape of protrusions of the primary cyst wall and by the presence or absence of fibrillar elements. The paper also discusses whether the cyst wall types are species related or represent cysts of different ages. The fine structure of merozoites and metrocytes of Sarcocystis of roe deer resembles that of other Sarcocystis species.