240 SWINE PRACTICE 



SARCOSPORIDIOSIS 



Sarcosporidiosis is a disease of muscular tissue due to a parasite, 

 the Sarcosporidia. This condition is relatively common in swine. 

 Generally speaking, sarcosporidiosis is not considered a disease of 

 much importance in swine. No doubt the encysting of the parasite 

 produces a myositis and should the heart become extensively infested, 

 fatal myocarditis may result. 



Etiology. — The Sarcocyj-tis miescheria is the cause of sarcospori- 

 diosis. The exact life cycle of this parasite is unknown. 



Lesions. — The cysts are usually so small that they cannot be de- 

 tected without the use of a microscope. However, an unusual speci- 

 men was obtained by York at an abattoir in Chicago in which the 

 cysts could be readily detected as grayish-white ovoid patches. Micro- 

 scopically, the parasites are found within the muscle sarcolemma. 

 They appear to destroy or displace the muscle substance, the fiber 

 being entirely severed, the sarcolemma alone remaining intact. The 

 sarcocysts contain many round or oval bodies, the sporozoites. The 

 cysts undergo degeneration and calcify, but at what age these changes 

 occur has not been determined. 



Symptoms. — The disease has not been recognized clinically, but no 

 doubt infestation would interfere with the muscle function. 



Treatment. — Therapeutic treatment is not available, and in the 

 absence of a definite knowledge of the life cycle of the parasite, pre- 

 ventive measures are only problematic. General sanitation should 

 be maintained. 



TUMORS 



An occasional tumor is encountered that has invaded the muscular 

 or osseous tissue of swine. But, generally speaking, tumors of these 

 structures are of little significance. 



