Human Extraintestinal Sarcocystosis: What We Know, and What We don’t Know

There are over 150 known Sarcocystis species, and at least one is capable of infecting and causing disease in man. Extraintestinal (muscular) sarcocystosis and intestinal sarcocystosis are the two known manifestations of disease in humans. In this series of six cases and review, we focus on the invasive extraintestinal (“muscular”) form of sarcocystosis in humans. This disease, which until recently was rarely described, has become relevant particularly as an imported condition in travelers due to a recent series of outbreaks reported from Malaysia. Human intestinal sarcocystosis is ubiquitous across the globe. However, absolute numbers of probable and particularly confirmed cases are few, with only several hundred described to date. Characteristically, patients exhibit signs and symptoms either 1–2 weeks after exposure, or after 4–8 weeks. Whether people remain asymptomatic or develop disease apparently depends on the infecting species, host factors, and the inoculum size. The definitive host(s) remain uncertain, and identification of the animal reservoir(s) requires further research. A better understanding of the epidemiology of the disease, as well as its immunological determinants, is hampered by the lack of reliable serological diagnostic methods. Additionally, DNA seems to be contained very effectively within the encysted parasite, thereby rendering PCR detection unreliable. Physicians should suspect the condition in patients with suggestive symptoms and a possible history of exposure. Surveillance networks for imported infectious diseases are formidable tools to help detect and localize outbreaks.