Nematodirus battus: scanning electron microscope studies of the duodenal mucosa of infected lambs.
Lambs given 60 000 third-stage larvae of Nematodirus battus were killed on days 16, 20 22, 24 and 32 of the infection and the duodenal mucosa was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). On day 16 of the infection the villi were long and finger-like and, although goblet cells were visible, the surface of the villi was not extensively folded, as is the surface of villi of uninfected control animals. By day 20 of the infection the villi had been reduced to flattened, plate-like structures or had formed low, irregular-shaped ridges. On this day of the infection the nematodes appeared to be enclosed by mucus-like material. As the infection progressed the intestinal damage was repaired, so that, by day 24 of the infection, the surface of the intestine was covered by short, smooth, finger-like projections and, by day 32 of the infection, the morphology of the intestine was somewhat similar to that of the control lamb. The possible role of villus atrophy and of mucus in the rejection of N. battus from the intestine is discussed.
D000818:Animals; D004386:Duodenum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D014251:Trichostrongyloidea; D014252:Trichostrongyloidiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*