Fatal Eimeria gilruthi-Induced Abomasal Coccidiosis: a still Neglected Parasitosis? - Abstract
Abomasal coccidiosis was diagnosed in two cross-breed adult sheep and one adult goat which died after a 3-week period of weight loss, anorexia and diarrhoea. Necropsies revealed an extremely edematous abomasal mucosa with a nodular surface and multiple focal areas of haemorrhagies. Histological examinations of affected abomasal mucosa showed numerous giant (up to 600 µm) coccidian macromeronts containing myriads of merozoites. These macromeronts were thick-walled and associated with hyperplasia of mucous neck cells, parietal cell atrophy, and moderate to intense lymphoplasmacytic inflammation that was centered on degenerated macromeront walls. Based on morphological characteristics, the macromeronts were identified as stages of Eimeria gilruthi, formerly known as Globidium, a coccidian parasite of uncertain taxonomic status historically associated with incidental coccidian abomasitis in sheep and goats. The current cases and the significant E. gilruthi-induced mucosal inflammation suggest that heavy abomasal E. gilruthi-infections should be considered as etiological cause of weight loss, anorexia, diarrhoea, and proliferative/haemorrhagic abomasitis in sheep.