Occurrence of Blastocystis sp. in pigs

The occurrence of Blastocystis sp. was monitored in pigs of various age from 5 pig farms in Southern Bohemia. Prevalence was determined especially via cultivation in modified nutrient broth LES. In sucking pigs up to 2 days old Blastocystis sp. was not found; from 3 days Blastocystis sp. persists throughout the pig life. In droppings and in cultures there both vacuolar and granular forms were observed. Ameboid forms were not found. In culture ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Individual cells of Blastocystis sp. contained a central body, nucleus, endoplasmic reticulum, rarely a Golgi complex and numerous mitochondria. No essential differences from known ultrastructure of human Blastocystis hominis were found.