• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Intestinal Sarcocystis Species Infections in Raptors from North Carolina

Faculty #6
Discipline: Biological Sciences
Subcategory: STEM Research

Alexa C. Rosypal - Johnson C. Smith University
Co-Author(s): Richard O. Sawyer and David S. Lindsay, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathology, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA David Scott, Carolina Raptor Center, Huntersville, NC



The diversity of Sarcocystis spp infecting raptors is not well known. The intestinal tracts from 6 raptors (1 red-tailed hawk (RTH), 1 red-shouldered hawk (RSH), 1 Cooper’s hawk (CH), 1 screech owl (SO) and 2 barred owls (BO) a&b) were collected from terminally ill or patients that were euthanized because of they could not be rehabilitated and released at the Carolina Raptor Center. The intestinal samples were labeled and refrigerated until they were examined microscopically for parasites. Fluke eggs were seen in 3 raptors (RTH, RSH, & SO) while, capillarid eggs were seen in the RTH and spirurid eggs were seen in the RSH. Four (67%) of the 6 samples (RTH, RSH, CH & BOa) contained oocysts/sporocysts of Sarcocystis species. The intestines from the RTH, RSH, and CH were processed and sporocysts that each contained 4 sporozoites whose measurements were consistent with Sarcocystis spp. The BOa had very few sporocysts and none were collected. Infectivity of sporozoites obtained from excysted sporocysts was examined using African Green monkey kidney (CV-1) cell cultures. We have been successful in growing Sarcocystis from the CH and have observed schizonts and merozoites and kept the culture growing by sub-passage onto fresh CV-1 cells. Additionally, we have observed merozoites in cultures from the RTH and RSH but have not currently been able to generate sub-passaged cultures. We are currently collecting merozoites from the CH isolate to characterize by phylogenetic analysis using ITS and CO1 PCR primers that react with all Sarcocystis species.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF HBCU-UP Research Initiation Award

Faculty Advisor: None Listed,

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science