Metagenomic amplicon sequencing of sarcocystis species in US beef

A new amplicon sequencing protocol was developed to identify the co-infecting species of Sarcocystis in meat samples. This method targets a variable region of the 18S ribosomal DNA and uses metagenomic techniques to distinguish among coinfecting species. 47 samples from beef that were suspected of having eosinophilic myositis were subjected to the protocol revealing multiple Sarcocystis species in some samples including the zoonotic parasite Sarcocystis hominis. This method could be used to screen beef samples for food safety purposes.