Investigation of Sarcosporidians (Sarcocystis) of Small Mammals in Kamasta Landscape Reserve and its Surroundings

Abstract

In 1995-1997, in Kamasta Landscape Reserve, there was investigated the small mammal infection with sarcosporidians applying two methods, compressive and histological. 590 animals belonging to 9 species were examined: 3 insectivorous (Insectivora), and 6 rodent (Rodentia: Muridae, Cricetidae) species. There was found only one common shrew (Sorex araneus), which was infected with microsarcocysts of all the examined 86 insectivorous. After investigating 504 mouse-like rodents, sarcocysts were detected in only 3 vole species, 46 (14.4%) of all the examined 320 Clethrionomys glareolus, 11 (20.4%) of all 54 Microtus arvalis and 7 (17.9%) of the examined 39 M. agrestis. There are presented morphometric investigation data on the sarcocysts and cyst merozoites. It has been established that S. putorii species parasitized in all the infected M. arvalis and in one case M. agrestis vole muscles. Their sarcocysts were characterised by large sizes and 2.3-4.0 μm length projections on their sarcocyst wall and having larg...