The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is an intermediate host for Sarcocystis neurona

The nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is an intermediate host of at least three species of Sarcocystis, Sarcocystis dasypi, Sarcocystis dim inuta, and an unidentified species: however, life cycles of these species h ave not been determined. Following feeding of armadillo muscles containing sarcocysts to the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), the opossums she d sporulated Sarcocystis sporocysts in their faeces. Mean dimensions for sp orocysts were 11.0 X 7.5 mum and each contained four sporozoites and a resi dual body. Sporocysts were identified as Sarcocystis neurona using PCR and DNA sequencing. A 2-month-old foal that was negative for S. neurona antibod ies in the CSF was orally inoculated with 5 X 10(5) sporocysts. At 4 weeks post-infection, the foal had a 'low positive' result by immunoblot for CSF antibodies to S. neurona and by week 6 had a 'strong positive' CSF result a nd developed an abnormal gait with proprioceptive deficits and ataxia in al l four limbs. Based on the results of this study, the nine-banded armadillo is an intermediate host of S. neurona. (C) 2001 Australian Society for Par asitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.