IN-VITRO CULTIVATION AND EXPERIMENTAL INOCULATION OF SARCOCYSTIS-FALCATULA AND SARCOCYSTIS-NEURONA MEROZOITES INTO BUDGERIGARS (MELOPSITTACUS-UNDULATUS)

This is a report of the isolation and in vitro propagation of merozoit es of Sarcocystis falcatula. Culture-derived S. falcatula merozoites r emained infectious after several passages in tissue culture as determi ned by the susceptibility of experimentally inoculated Melopsittacus u ndulatus that died of pulmonary sarcocystosis after experimental inocu lation. There was no obvious clinical disease or lesion when Sarcocyst is neurona merozoites were used to inoculate M. undulatus. On the basi s of the biological infectivity data, S. falcatula and S. neurona are not synonymous as suggested from limited molecular data.