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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #431877
Research Project: Foodborne Parasites and their Impact on Food Safety

Location: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory

Title: Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis sporocysts in intestines of bobcat (Lynx rufus) from Minnesota

Author
item GUPTA, ADITYA - Orise Fellow
item HUMPAL, CAROLIN - Minnesota Department Of Natural Resources
item CARSTENSEN, MICHELLE - Minnesota Department Of Natural Resources
item Rosenthal, Benjamin
item Dubey, Jitender

Submitted to: Journal of Parasitology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/9/2026
Publication Date: 5/21/2026
Citation: Gupta, A., Humpal, C., Carstensen, M., Rosenthal, B.M., Dubey, J.P. 2026. Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis sporocysts in intestines of bobcat (Lynx rufus) from Minnesota. Journal of Parasitology. 112(3:313-318. https://doi.org/10.1645/26-15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1645/26-15

Interpretive Summary: America’s livestock farmers contend with a variety of threats to the health of their animals and the marketability of the meat they produce. Parasites in the genus Sarcocystis infect cattle, reducing weight gain, feed efficiency, and inducing anorexia, fever, anemia, reduced milk yield, neurologic impairment, and death in livestock. Of more than 200 species of Sarcocystis, eight are known to infect cattle. Three of these Sarcocystis species compromise food safety causing human illness in consumers of undercooked beef. Therefore, understanding the sources of cattle infection might lead to better control, protecting veterinary and public health. Here, USDA scientists discovered Sarcocystis in feces of 38 of 189 bobcats (Lynx rufus) from Minnesota. One of these species identified was S. bovifelis. Previously, this parasite was only known to be transmitted to cattle by domesticated cats. Additionally, bobcats did not harbor Sarcocystis transmitted to humans. These results will interest wildlife biologists, parasitologists, veterinarians, and food safety professionals, and may help livestock farmers better understand and manage potential sources of infection.

Technical Abstract: Sarcocystis species are heteroxenous protozoan parasites of major veterinary and public health relevance, yet the role of wild felids in their natural transmission cycles remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated Sarcocystis infections in 189 bobcats (Lynx rufus) harvested from Minnesota during 2024–2025. Intestinal homogenates of 179 were examined microscopically, and Sarcocystis sporocysts were found in 38 bobcats (21.2%). DNA was extracted from all 38 positive samples, of which 19 were PCR-positive, and 14 yielded high-quality sequences for molecular characterization using partial 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and mitochondrial COI markers. Molecular results confirmed the presence of Sarcocystis bovifelis and Sarcocystis svanai-like. Due to inconsistent amplification and partial overlap among nuclear markers, only COI was suitable for phylogenetic analysis. The COI-based phylogenetic tree resolved strongly supported clades corresponding to these species (bootstrap 99–100%). These findings provide strong molecular evidence that bobcats in Minnesota serve as natural definitive hosts for S. bovifelis and S. svanai-like.