Ciência e Tecnologia Veterinária

Histopathological Studies of Eimeria bovis Infection in Calves

Abstract

Razia Sultana, Azhar Maqbool, M Zahid Ahmad, Mansur-ud-Din Ahmed, Zafar Iqbal Ch

Six experimentally infected calves were slaughtered at 15 days post infection (dpi) (Group A), 20 dpi (Group B), 25 dpi (Group C) and the intestinal mucosa was examined for pathological changes. The affected part of the intestine was removed, opened and examined for macroscopic findings. The animals studied showed lesions of varying severity. The gross pathology revealed no remarkable abnormal findings in calves of group A. Redness of the mucosa of the caecum and colon in six calves of group B and C was noted. There were no first generation schizonts evident grossly. The main characteristic under the light of microscope of the intestinal sections taken from the calves examined during the late prepatent period were mild inflammatory infilteration of the mucosa and increased cellular debris, parasitic structures were identified from small and large intestine. The caecum and colon showed particularly high levels of infection.