In vitro cultivation of schizonts of Sarcocystis speeri Dubey and Lindsay,1999

Schizonts of Sarcocystis speeri Dubey and Lindsay, 1999 were cultured in vi tro in bovine monocyte and equine kidney cell cultures inoculated with infe cted tissues of nude and gamma-interferon knockout mice fed sporocysts from opossums, Didelphis albiventris. At least 1 asexual cycle was completed in 3 days. In vitro-grown merozoites were structurally and antigenically dist inct from those of Sarcocystis neurona and Sarcocystis falcatula. Culture-d erived merozoites of S. speeri were not infective to budgerigars (Melopsitt acus undulatus).