Molecular differentiation of cattle spp. by multiplex PCR targeting 18S and COI genes following identification of in human stool samples.

spp. are protozoan parasites which can infect a wide range of vertebrates, including humans; the latter can act as definitive hosts for two cattle spp.: and . Reports of intestinal sarcocystosis are well documented in the literature, but PCR-based methods have been scarcely used to identify species in human stools, and have been limited to the molecular analysis of 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) gene sequences. Since the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene is one of the most promising tools for distinguishing between closely related spp., and taking into account the lack of publicly available COI sequences, in the present study we obtained the first partial COI sequence of from human stool samples of patient with gastrointestinal symptoms. We designed specific COI primers to develop a multiplex PCR method for the identification of spp. in cattle. The submission of the COI sequence described herein and the unambiguous identification of through the application of the new multiplex PCR is important for determining the prevalence of this zoonotic spp. in meat and the risk for consumers.