The route of Besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoites inoculation does not influence the clinical outcome of the infection in calves

Publication date: Available online 12 February 2019Source: Veterinary ParasitologyAuthor(s): C. Diezma-Díaz, I. Ferre, M. Re, A. Jiménez-Meléndez, E. Tabanera, M. González-Huecas, M. Pizarro-Díaz, D. Yanguas-Pérez, P.L. Brum, J. Blanco-Murcia, L.M. Ortega-Mora, G. Álvarez-GarcíaAbstractIn a previous attempt, an experimental model of bovine besnoitiosis was established in calves that were intravenously inoculated with different doses of Besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoites. Despite the fact that all infected calves developed the acute stage of disease, only microscopic findings characteristic of chronic besnoitiosis were reported. In the present study, calves were inoculated by subcutaneous and intradermal routes with B. besnoiti tachyzoites with the aim of developing clinical signs and macroscopic lesions characteristic of chronic besnoitiosis.Nine 3-month-old male calves were randomly distributed into three groups of three animals each. Next, 106 tachyzoites were inoculated by either the subcutaneous (G1) or intradermal route (G2). The negative control group (G3) was inoculated with PBS. Daily clinical monitoring and regular blood collection were performed. At 70 days post-infection (pi), animals were euthanized, and tissues were collected to investigate lesions and parasites.Infected animals developed mild-moderate acute besnoitiosis characterized by lymphadenopathy from four days to 47 days pi, and sporadic fever peaks were only observed in one calf from G2. However, oth...
Source: Veterinary Parasitology - Category: Veterinary Research Source Type: research