Clinical and Postmortem Findings of Coenuru scerebralis in Harri Sheep Herd in Taif Province, Saudi Arabia - Abstract
This study aims to investigate clinical, pathological and histopathological findings of clinically infected sheep by Coenurus Cerebralis in Turaba governorate, Taif province, Saudi Arabia.
The herd shuttles between pastures for grazing accompanied by dogs for guardianship (Dog, Fox and Wolf may be considered a source of infection).
Clinical examination of the sheep revealed that403 from 1542 Harri sheep (majority were female) aged from 1 to 4 years were clinically suffering from nervous symptoms as incoordination, irregular gait, failure to hold the head straight, leftward head tilt and circling around himself.
The morbidity rates between Harri Sheep were 0.5%, 1.49%, 4.86% 19.3% and 26.1% while mortality rates were 0.32%, 1.04%, 058%, 2.79 % and 4.7 % respectively for male less than or equal one-year-old, male over one-year-old, female less than or equal one- year-old, female over one-year- old and sum of sheep in herd (Sum of male and female in Sheep Herd).
Post-mortem investigation of diseased animals showed that varying cerebral tissue was thin, atrophied and congested. It tore easily by hand and included with a multiple of cysts (C. cerebralis).
Cysts were evacuated spontaneously and observed that occupied by white clusters attached to the internal layer of the cyst over the caudal portion of the cerebellum within the cranium. The cyst caused compression over the ventral portion of the left cerebral hemisphere so nervous manifestations may by diagnosed. The cyst was diagnosed as C. Cerebralis
This report describes a rare case of coenuruses cystin brain and spinal cord of sheep and the associated pathognomonic lesions.
In conclusion, we found it beneficial to present the clinical and pathological findings of Harri Sheep manifested with C. cerebralis which is known to be a serious clinical entity among sheep in Taif province, Saudi Arabia.