THE OUTDOOR SURVIVAL OF SARCOCYSTIS-GIGANTEA SPOROCYSTS

Sporocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea in cat faeces were placed in vented polystyrene tubes and superficially buried in both open and shaded si tes. Their survival, as measured by their ability to excyst in vitro, was then monitored during the course of two separate experiments exten ding over 12-month periods. The results showed that the viability of t hese sporocysts declined most rapidly over the summer months and sugge sted that they were unlikely to remain infective for more than 1 year.