Fatal intestinal coccidiosis in a three week old buffalo calf (Bubalus bubalus).
The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalus) is important to the economy of several countries, especially in Asia and Brazil. Little is known of the impact of coccidiosis in buffaloes. Cattle and buffaloes are considered to have common species of Eimeria but critical cross transmissions have not been made because it is difficult to raise these hosts coccidian free. Clinical coccidiosis was confirmed post mortem in a 22-day old buffalo calf that died after a 3-4 day illness. Oocysts morphologically identical to Eimeria bareillyi were found in the feces and in sections of small intestine. Oocysts were often pyriform, sometimes with asymmetrical sides. The shorter end was flattened and approximately 5-6 microm wide. Unsporulated oocysts in feces were 23.2-29.5 x 16.5-22 microm in size with an average of 27.2 x 19.3 microm . Schizonts, gamonts, and oocysts were identified in sections of small intestine and they were located in entrocytes of jejunum and ileum. No coccidian stages were seen in sections of colon. This is one of the first confirmed cases of clinical coccidiosis in water buffalo.
Dubey
J P
JP
Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, United States Department of Agriculture, Maryland, USA. jitender.dubey@ars.usda.gov
Wouda
W
W
Muskens
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes / Q000469:parasitology*; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004539:Eimeria / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D007082:Ileum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary