About Sarcocystosis

Overview

Sarcocystosis is a parasitic disease caused by the parasite Sarcocystis. There are different species of Sarcocystis.

Although sarcocystosis usually affects animals, there are two types that affect humans:

• Intestinal type (caused by S. hominis and S. suihominis)
• Muscular type (caused by animal Sarcocystis species)

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms differ based on the type of sarcocystosis. Most people infected with Sarcocystis do not have symptoms. Symptoms can include one or more of the following based on the type of sarcocystosis:

Intestinal type:

• Diarrhea
• Mild fever
• Vomiting

Muscular type:

• Muscle pain
• Edema (swelling from too much fluid in the body's tissue. Tissue are parts of the body underneath the skin).
• Fever

At-risk populations

Sarcocystosis occurs worldwide, but mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. Muscular sarcocystosis occurs most often in countries in Southeast Asia.

Causes

People can get infected in different ways based on the type of sarcocystosis.

• In the intestinal type, people become infected when they eat undercooked meat containing the parasite.
• In the muscular type, eating food or water contaminated with the parasite is a risk factor. An animal will defecate (poop) a form of the parasite out, which can then contaminate food or water that people may eat or drink.

Prevention

Be careful when consuming food and water and practice good sanitation habits while traveling to areas where sarcocystosis occurs.

Food and water precautions

Water

• Use bottled water with unbroken seals.
• Boil water for at least one minute or use filtered water.
• Water purification tablets and chlorine products may not kill Sarcocystis.
• Use safe water (sanitized water, such as bottled, boiled, or filtered water) to brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, and make ice.
• Clean areas where you prep food and kitchen items with soap and safe water. The items should be completely dry before reusing them.
• Store water in a clean, covered container.

In areas where sarcocystosis occurs, do not:

• Use piped water sources that may be contaminated.
• Drink beverages sold in cups or bags or use ice if you are not sure if the ice was made with safe water.
• Swim in fresh water that may be contaminated.

Cooking food

Cook all meat, including wild game meat (ground and whole cuts, excluding poultry) to 160° Fahrenheit or 71° Celsius (especially pork and beef). Use a meat thermometer to determine that the meat has reached a safe minimum internal temperature. Cook poultry – whole cuts and ground — to 165° F (74° C).

Cleanliness precautions

Handwashing

• Wash your hands with soap and safe water. If you do not have soap, use an alcohol-based (60%) hand cleaner.
• Wash your hands before you eat or prepare food, before feeding children, after using the toilet, after cleaning your child's bottom, and after taking care of someone who has diarrhea.

Toilets

• Use toilets or other sanitation systems (e.g., chemical toilets).
• Clean toilets and surfaces contaminated with feces (poop). Use a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water.
• Do not poop near any body of water.

Household sanitation

• Clean areas where you eat or wash yourself.
• Wash yourself, your children, diapers, and clothes at least 100 feet (about 30 meters) away from drinking water sources.

Diagnosis

If you think you have sarcocystosis, see a healthcare provider.

• For intestinal sarcocystosis (S. hominis and S. suihominis), a laboratory scientist can use a microscope to identify the parasites in stool (poop) specimens.
• For muscular sarcocystosis, a laboratory scientist will identify parasites in tissue samples.

Treatment and recovery

Talk to your healthcare provider if you think you have intestinal or muscular sarcocystosis.