POST MORTEM FINDINGS OF A BUFFALO CALF SUFFERED FROM INTESTINAL COCCIDIOSIS

摘要

Coccidiosis is an important protozoan disease caused by various species of the genus Eimeria. It causes considerable animal health problems and economic losses in ruminants due to severe enteritis. The present study reports a case of intestinal coccidiosis in a young buffalo calf of 17 days old brought to the Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Sciences of the University for the postmortem examination. Clinical history revealed illness since last five days showing clinical signssuch as anorexia, oral lesions and yellowish diarrhoea. Grossly, intestines showed congestion and haemorrhages. On opening, it showed thickened and congested mucosa and presence of catarrhal exudate. Faecal sample examination revealed numerous coccidianoocysts. Microscopically, intestine revealed enteritis characterized by denudation of mucosal epithelium, stunted and fused villi, congestion and haemorrhages and leucocytic infiltration mainly lymphocytes in mucosa and submucosa. It also showed presence of gametogenic stages of coccidian parasites predominantly immature gametocytes in mucosa and crypt epithelium of small intestine. Based on above findings, case was diagnosed as of intestinal coccidiosis.