Experimental Schistosoma bovis infection in goats: the inflammatory response in the small intestine and liver in various phases of infection and reinfection.
In a histopathological study of goats experimentally infected with Schistosoma bovis, the characteristics of the inflammatory response in the small intestine and liver related to tissue egg counts and fecal egg excretion were compared between goats at different time periods of primary infection and of primary infection followed by challenge. At early patency, coinciding with increasing egg excretion, the intestinal lamina propria showed numerous intact schistosome eggs devoid of any inflammatory reaction, whereas egg-associated inflammatory foci in the intestine were significantly few. Later in primary infection and after challenge, intestinal changes were marked by a granulomatous anti-egg response, with only a minor component of eggs lacking inflammatory change, and were consistent with a reduction of egg transfer into the gut wall. Hepatocellular necrosis with eosinophil infiltration was pronounced only during the early patent stage. The results indicate that the early cascade of fecal egg excretion in caprine schistosomosis bovis is aided by a low degree of tissue reactivity to eggs in the intestine. They also lend support to previous findings indicating that an anti-fecundity effect is operative after exposure to challenge in this parasitic infection in goats.
Lindberg
R
R
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
Johansen
M V
MV
Monrad
J
J
Christensen
N O
NO
Nansen
P
P
D000818:Animals; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D015511:Goat Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D006041:Goats; D007249:Inflammation; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008099:Liver / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology*; D008109:Liver Diseases, Parasitic / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*