Prevalence of sarcocystis species in urban and rural rats in Perak, Malaysia.

Abstract

Sarcocystosis cause by Sarcocytis spp is one of the most prevalent parasitic zoonotic disease reported in wide range of domestic and wild animals in Malaysia [4]. Human muscular sarcocytosis has been reported as an emerging parasitic infections among travellers to Tioman Islands, Malaysia in 2011[5]. However, subsequent epidemiological investigations conducted on local communities in Tioman Island showed that sarcocystis spp was not present in humans, animals and the environment[2]. A group of 95 college students and teachers who attended a retreat at a hotel in Pangkor Island, Peninsular Malaysia [3] were affected with muscular sarcocystosis and Sarcosystis nesbitti was found to the cause of this outbreak. In order to avoid both intestinal and muscular sarcocystosis, detection and prevention among domestic and wild animals have been suggested in order to reduce the sources of infection maintained by semi-domestic and wild animals.