infection in free-living European bison ( L.) from the Białowieża Forest, Poland - A molecular analysis based on the gene.

European bison are susceptible to a range of pathogens which may influence their health, and hence, to ensure their protection, it is essential to provide effective monitoring of potential exposure. This study presents the first molecular confirmation of infection in European bison based on PCR amplification of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I () gene. A sample of heart tissue taken from one fifteen-year-old European bison cow was examined by light microscopy for the presence of heart sarcocysts. The genomic DNA isolated from any identified sarcocysts was subjected to PCR to amplify gene sequences, and the obtained amplicons were sequenced by Sanger dideoxy sequencing. Two partial sequences were obtained; they were identified as and deposited in the GenBank™ database under the accession numbers MW490605 and MW490606. BLAST analysis found them to demonstrate the closest similarity to (MH255771-MH255779 and KU247874-KU247884), sharing an identity of 93.14-93.8 %. This is the first report to identify sarcocysts isolated from heart tissue of infected European bison living in the Białowieża forest to species level using analysis. Our findings confirm that the European bison is a natural intermediate host for . As such, coordinators of future conservation programmes should consider the impact of these diseases on reintroduced animals.