A clinical, histopathological, and immunofluorescent study of Babesia spp. infection in white-tailed deer : a thesis /
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[College Station, Tex.] :
[Texas A&M University],
[1969]
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| Subjects: |
| Abstract: | ABSTRACT: Babesia cervi produced a fulminant, hemolytic disease in splenectomized deer and a chronic disease, characterized by emaciation and anemia after 6 to 12 months in intact deer, which apparently were the primary hosts of the hemoprotozoan. Splenectomized deer had a febrile response and a 3 to 9% parasitemia 2 days after intravenous inoculation of 10 ml. of blood in which 1% of the erythrocytes contained Babesia. Anemia and erythrocytic lysis resulted inpallor and icterus of mucous membranes, increased respiratory rate, and weakness. Hemoglobinuria was a prominent sign. Intact deer also had a febrile response which accompanied the development of a 0.5 to 1.5% parasitemia, although no other clinical signs occurred. Gross lesions observed during necropsy of the splenectomized deer were subendocardial and subepicardial hemorrhages; thin, watery blood; edematous iliac, prefemoral, prescapular, and renal lymph nodes; icterus; and dark red urine in the urinary bladders. The only lesions found in the intact deer at necropsy were edematous lymph nodes and unusually prominent lymphoid follicles in the hepatic and renal lymph nodes. Microscopic lesions in the splenectomized deer consisted of small, focal areas of centrilobular hepatic necrosis; diffuse hepatocellular vacuolation and periportal lymphocytic accumulations in the liver; periglomerular lymphocytic accumulations in the kidneys; regeneration of the epithelial cells of the procimal convoluted tubules in the kidneys of an animal that lived 3 weeks post-inoculation; perivascular hemorrhages in the mycardium; edema in the lymph nodes; and petechial hemorrhages and lymphocytic accumulations in the submucosa of the urinary bladder. Changes in the blood consisted of parasitism of erythrocytes with Babesia, anisocytosis, and poikilocytosis. Nucleated erythrocytes were present in the peripheral circulatory system in some deer. Active hemopoietic centers were present in the bone marrow. Babesia were observed in erythrocytes of intact deer during the early stages of infection. Lesions in the liver, lymph nodes, and urinary bladder were similar to those seen in splenectomized deer. Babesia reproduction occurred only within erythrocytes as demonstrated with the fluorescent antibody technique. There was an 18 to 24 hour prepatent period. Babesia cervi was characterized as a monocucleated hemoprotozoan that reproduced by binary fission or budding with a single organism producing the paired, divergent, club-shaped bodies averaging 1.9 x 0.75 [mu] which were located peripherally in parasitized erythorcytes from white-tailed deer. A comparison of Babesia cervi with Babesia divergens indicated that they should be considered as different species. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: Veterinary Pathology". "Submitted to the Graduate College of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science January 1969". |
| Physical Description: | x, 58 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references. |