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Studies on Globidial Schizonts in the Abomasum of Norwegian Sheep

The Fine Structure of One of the Four Merozoite forms Investigated

Studier av schizonter av Globidium i løpen hos norske sauer. Ultrastrukturen til en av de fire undersøkte merozoit-typene

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 14, pages 22–43 (1973)Cite this article

Abstract

Norwegian sheep were investigated for globidial schizont infection in the abomasum. The frequency of infection was found to be 78.2 %. Light microscope studies of the various mature schizonts revealed the existence of four morphologically different merozoites, small A, small B, intermediate and long forms. Each globidial schizont was found to contain only one form of these merozoites. However, these four schizont types occurred in the same abomasum.

The intermediate form of globidial schizont merozoites was investigated by the aid of an electron microscope, with the aim of comparing its internal morphology with that previously published for Eimeria species. A striking resemblance was observed between the fine structures of the intermediate merozoite and that of Eimeria species, particularly the first generation merozoites described in giant schizonts of Eimeria bovis.

The present status of globidial schizonts infecting the abomasum of sheep was discussed. It was concluded that these four forms of merozoites could represent different generations of one Eimeria species or different E. species producing giant schizonts in the abomasum.

Due to the practical difficulties in studying the life histories of the different Eimeria species infecting sheep, it was proposed that the in vitro propagation of the individual species in cultured cells may shed some light on the corresponding asexual, as well as the sexual, stages. This would offer a new approach to the study of the ultra-structure of the developing parasite.

Sammendrag

Forekomsten av schizonter av Globidium i løpen er undersøkt hos norske sauer. Infeksjonsfrekvensen var 78,2 %.

Ved undersøkelse med vanlig mikroskop ble det funnet 4 forskjellige typer av merozoitter, liten A, liten B, intermediære og lange former. I hver enkelt schizont var det bare 1 av disse formene. Alle 4 typene kunne imidlertid forekomme i den samme løpen.

Den intermediære form av merozoitter ble undersøkt ved elektronmikroskopi. Det ble funnet en påfallende likhet av de finere cellestrukturer med det som er funnet for merozoitter av Eimeria arter, spesielt for schizonter av Eimeria bovis.

Den systematiske posisjon av Globidium schizonter er diskutert. Det konkluderes med at de fire typene av merozoitter kan være forskjeilige stadier av en av sauens Eimeria spp., eller representerer flere Eimeria spp. som har kjempeschizonter i løpen.

På grunn av praktiske vanskeligheter ved studiet av livscyklus til Eimeria spp., pekes det på mulighetene av å studere utviklingen av både ukjønnede og kjønnede stadier i cellekulturer. Dette ville kunne gi ytterligere opplysninger om ultrastrukturen av utviklingsstadiene av parasittene.

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  1. Department of Medicine, Veterinary College of Norway, Oslo, Norway

    Mosaad Hilali

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This work was supported by a grant from the Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD).

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Hilali, M. Studies on Globidial Schizonts in the Abomasum of Norwegian Sheep. Acta Vet Scand 14, 22–43 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547408

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147