Abstract
Inoculation of cystozoites obtained from natural, chronic cases of caprine besnoitiosis produced clinical disease in goats but not in rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats or cattle. Histological examination of tissue sections from the experimental animals showedBesnoitia cysts only in goats. This, together with field observations that cattle reared together with goats having besnoitiosis do not contract the disease, suggests that theBesnoitia species that infects goats in Kenya is host-specific and is notBesnoitia besnoiti. We suggest that the nameBesnoitia caprae be adopted for the caprine pathogen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bigalke, R.D., 1967. The artificial transmission ofBesnoitia besnoiti (Marotel, 1912) from chronically infected to susceptible cattle and rabbits.Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research,34, 303–316
Bigalke, R.D., 1968. New concepts of the epidemiological features of bovine besnoitiosis as determined by laboratory and field investigations.Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research,35, 3–138
Bigalke, R.D., 1981. Besnoitiosis. In: M. Ristic and I. McIntyre (eds),Diseases of Cattle in the Tropics. (Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague), 429–442
Bigalke, R.D. and Neude, T.W., 1962. The diagnostic value of cysts in the scleral conjuctiva in bovine besnoitiosis.Journal of the South African Veterinary Medical Association,32, 21–27
Bwangamoi, O., 1967. A preliminary report on the finding ofBesnoitia besnoiti in goat skins affected with dimple in Kenya.Bulletin of Epizootic Diseases of Africa,15, 263
Bwangamoi, O., Carles, A.B. and Wandera, J.G., 1989. An epidemic of besnoitiosis in goats in Kenya.Veterinary Record,125, 461
Cheema, A.H. and Toofanian, F., 1979. Besnoitiosis in wild and domestic goats in Iran.Cornell Veterinarian,69, 159–168
Kaliner, G., 1973. Vorkommen von Besnoienzysten in der Zienlunge.Berliner und Münchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift,86, 229–230
Pols, J.W., 1960. Studies on bovine besnoitiosis with special reference to the aetiology.Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research,28, 265–356
Shkap, V., Marcovitz, A., Pipano, E. and Green Blatt, C., 1982. Chemotherapy of acute besnoitiosis in gerbils. (Meriones fristrami shawii).Israel Journal of Medical Sciences,18, 1067
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Njenga, J.M., Bwangamoi, O., Mutiga, E.R. et al. Preliminary findings from an experimental study of caprine besnoitiosis in Kenya. Vet Res Commun 17, 203–208 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01839168
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01839168