Journal of Parasitology

Published by: American Society of Parasitologists

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Journal of Parasitology 94(6):1289-1294. 2008
doi: 10.1645/GE-1660.1

Fatal Intestinal Coccidiosis in a Three-Week-Old Buffalo Calf (Bubalus bubalus)

J. P. Dubey, W. Wouda*, J. Muskens*

Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350.

101*GD-Animal Health Service, P.O. Box 9, 7400 AA Deventer, The Netherlands

Abstract

The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalus) is important to the economy of several countries, especially in Asia and South America. Little is known regarding 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- to 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 μm wide. Unsporulated oocysts in feces were 23.2–29.5 × 16.5–22 μm, with an average of 27.2 × 19.3 μm. Schizonts, gamonts, and oocysts were identified in sections of small intestine where they were located in enterocytes of the 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.

Received: April 23, 2008; Revised: May 1, 2008; Accepted: May 5, 2008



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Fig. 1. (A) Fecal float from buffalo calf showing unsporulated Eimeria bareilyi-like pear-shaped oocysts. (B) Section of jejunum with heavy parasitization with gamonts and oocysts, and a crypt abscess (arrow)

Fig. 2. Endogenous stages of Eimeria bareillyi in sections of ileum of the calf. (A) Schizonts in enterocytes. The crypt lumen is plugged with degenerating merozoites. Note elongated merozoites with terminal nucleus (arrows). (B) A small schizont with 3 small merozoites (arrows). Compare the sizes of merozoites in A and B; both photos are of comparable sizes. A microgamont is located above the schizont. (C) Gametogonic stages. (a) Small macrogamont with a large nucleus, (b) nearly mature macrogamont with a central nucleus, (c) macrogamont with eosinophilic wall-forming bodies, (d) an oocyst, (e) immature microgamont with peripherally located nuclei, and (f) microgamont with peripheral microgames. (D) A longitudinally cut oocyst with 2 oocyst walls and a micropyle (arrow)

Fig. 3. TEMs of Eimeria bareillyi in sections of jejunum. (A) Four schizonts (s), a microgamont and several individual merozoites. (B) Two longitudinally cut merozoites . Note conoid (c), numerous micronemes (mi), and terminal nucleus (n)

table

Table I.Characteristics of 5 pathogenic species of Eimeria in cattle

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