The Occurrence and Meta-Analysis of Investigations on Sarcocystis Infection among Ruminants (Ruminantia) in Mainland China

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Sarcocystis can infect almost all warm-blooded animals, including humans. Ruminants (Ruminantia) are the intermediate hosts for Sarcocystis, representing a potential risk for public health. In China, there are many studies on the prevalence of Sarcocystis. However, the overall prevalence of Sarcocystis infection among ruminants in mainland China remains unclear and relevant risk factors need to be assessed to develop preventive measures. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to collect data on the prevalence and risk factors of Sarcocystis in ruminants in mainland China. Based on the results, we discussed the potential factors that may affect the prevalence of Sarcocystis in ruminants and the limitations in the current epidemiological investigation. ABSTRACT: Sarcocystis is a zoonotic pathogen that threatens public health and the quality of food safety. To determine the Sarcocystis spp. prevalence in ruminants (Ruminantia) in China, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis. Data were collected from English databases (PubMed and Web of Science) and Chinese databases (Chinese Web of knowledge (CNKI), Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals (VIP) and Wan Fang databases). A total of 20,301 ruminants from 54 publications were evaluated. The pooled prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. among ruminants in mainland China was 65% (95% CI: 57–72%). Our results indicate that sarcocystosis is prevalent in ruminants, which show significant geographical differences. Therefore, it there is a need for continuous monitoring of infections of Sarcocystis spp. in ruminants to reduce the threat to human health and economic losses to the animal industry.