Prevalence of encysted apicomplexans in muscles of raptors

Abstract

An acid–pepsin digestion technique was used to examine portions of breast muscle and heart from raptors for encysted protozoans. Apicomplexan zoites were present in 52 (45.6%) of the 114 samples examined: 11 of 12 (91.7%) red-shouldered hawks ( Buteo lineatus), 20 of 34 (58.8%) red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis), two of seven (28.6%) Cooper's hawks ( Accipiter cooperi), three of four (75%) sharp-shinned hawks ( Accipiter striatus), one (100%) Mississippi kites ( Ictinia misisippiensis), one of two (50%) American kestrels ( Falco sparverius), one bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus), one of two (50%) golden eagles ( Aquila chrysaetos), one of three (33%) turkey vultures ( Cathartes aura), two of three (66.7%) black vultures ( Coragyps atratus), three of six (50%) great-horned owls ( Bubo virginianus), five of 15 (33.3%) barred owls ( Strix varia), and one of 12 (8.3%) screech owls ( Asio otus). Encysted protozoans were not observed in digests of tissues from three broad-winged hawks ( Buteo platypterus), four ospreys ( Pandion haliaetus), and five barn owls ( Tyto alba). Apicomplexan cysts resembling Sarcocystis species were observed in tissue sections of muscles from 28 (37.8%) of 74 raptors.