Prevalence and age-related infection of Cryptosporidium suis, C. muris and Cryptosporidium pig genotype II in pigs on a farm complex in the Czech Republic

A total of 413 pig faecal samples were collected from pre-weaners (119), starters (131), pre-growers (123) and sows (40) from a farm with a closed breeding system segmented into two breeding complexes and a growing complex in the region of Vysočina, Czech Republic and screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium using staining methods and genotyping (SSU rRNA). Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected by microscopy in the faeces of 21.1% of the samples (87/413). Sequence analyses and RFLP identified C. suis in 44, Cryptosporidium pig genotype II in 23 and C. muris in 2 samples. No mixed infections were found.Pigs under 7 weeks of age were infected with C. suis only. Cryptosporidium pig genotype II was found in animals from 7 weeks of age. No relationship was found between diarrhoea and any Cryptosporidium infection in any of the different age groups (P < 0.05). The pre-weaned pigs shed significantly more Cryptosporidium oocysts than older pigs and it was associated with C. suis infection.     

Induction of inflammatory host immune responses by organisms belonging to the genera Chlamydia/Chlamydophila

Chlamydia/Chlamydophila are a family of intracellular gram-negative bacteria that infect their hosts primarily via mucosal epithelia. Chronic disease associated with bacterial persistence, inflammation and tissue damage are common sequelae of infection with these organisms. Human epithelial cell lines respond to infection by releasing pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, and upregulating the expression of mRNA encoding Iκ-Bα, the endogenous inhibitor of NF-κB. However, Iκ-Bα is not upregulated in response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The failure of epithelial cells to respond to LPS is associated with the absence of surface expression of CD14. Identification of the components of Chlamydia/Chlamydophila that can induce pro-inflammatory mediators coupled with the mechanisms by which epithelial cells detect infection and respond accordingly will advance the development of preventative strategies.     

Anaplasma marginale infection in a Japanese Black cow 13 years after eradication of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in Okinawa, Japan

In October 2007, a 15-year-old Japanese Black cow on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan, was diagnosed with Anaplasma marginale infection based on clinical symptoms, blood examination, smear observation, 16S rRNA and groEL gene sequence analysis, and the result of a CF test. The cow was introduced into the farm from mainland Japan as a calf in 1993, one year before the eradication of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, the main vector of A. marginale in Okinawa Prefecture. It is possible that the cow was first infected with A. marginale as a calf in Ishigaki Island and had been persistently infected since then. This is the first reported clinical case of A. marginale infection of cattle since the eradication of R. microplus in Okinawa Prefecture. Additional analysis of major surface protein 1α amino acid sequences revealed that the A. marginale Okinawa strain presented four new repeat forms which were not seen in other strains. This indicates that the Okinawa strain may be a unique geographical variant of A. marginale.     

Echinococcosis in pigs and intestinal infection with Echinococcus spp. in dogs in southwestern Lithuania

Cystic echinococcosis is a major emerging zoonosis in many Eastern European and Asian countries. Post slaughter examinations of 684 pig livers in Lithuania revealed significantly higher numbers of Echinococcus granulosus infections in animals from family farms (13.2%; 95% CI 10.7–16.2) as compared with those from industrial farms (4.1%; 95% CI 0.8–11.5). The prevalence was also significantly higher in pigs older than 1 year than in younger ones. In addition, in 0.5% of the pigs from the family farms, infertile and calcified E. multilocularis lesions were identified by PCR. Faecal samples from rural dogs (n = 240) originating from 177 family farms in 12 villages were investigated for taeniid eggs with two methods. Significantly more dogs excreting taeniid eggs were diagnosed with the flotation/sieving method (n = 34) as compared to the modified McMaster method (n = 12). Multiplex PCR performed with DNA from taeniid eggs isolated from faeces of 34 dogs revealed 26 infections with Taenia spp., 9 with E. granulosus and 2 with E. multilocularis (4 cases with concurrent Taenia spp. and E. granulosus or E. multilocularis infections). Genotyping of E. granulosus cyst tissues from 7 pigs, 1 head of cattle and from E. granulosus eggs from 8 dog faeces revealed the genotype G6/7 (‘pig/camel strain’) in all cases. The high infection pressure with Echinococcus spp. in family farms necessitates initiating control programs.     

Detection of all Chlamydophila and Chlamydia spp. of veterinary interest using species-specific real-time PCR assays

The aim of the present study was to analyse the occurrence of chlamydiae in several mammalian host species. Clinical samples that previously tested positive in a Chlamydiaceae-specific real-time PCR were retested using six species-specific real-time PCR assays to identify the chlamydial species involved. Chlamydophila (Cp.) abortus was the agent most frequently found in cattle, sheep, horses, goats, and pigs. Detection in cattle of Cp. psittaci (11% of samples) and Chlamydia (C.) suis (9%), as well as Cp. psittaci in a goat sample was somewhat unexpected. DNA of two different chlamydiae was identified in 56 (12.7%) of 440 samples tested. Cp. felis was the predominant species found in cats, while in guinea pigs and rabbits only Cp. caviae was detected. Interestingly, the latter two pathogens were also identified in samples from dogs. The data show that mixed chlamydial infections are not rare and suggest an extended host range of individual species.     

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Mycoplasma suis infection in pig farms in central China

Mycoplasma suis, the causative agent of porcine infectious anemia, causes large economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 69 pig farms in Hubei Province, China, from November 2011 to August 2013 to ascertain the prevalence and associated risk factors of M. suis. Four thousand and four blood samples from pigs of all the age groups were tested for M. suis antibodies using the established rMSG1–ELISA assay. Among these 4004 samples, 1615 blood samples from multiparous sows were examined to identify the association between seroprevalence and different seasons. Information on risk factors collected from farmers or attending veterinarians was recorded on a pre-designed questionnaire. The overall test seroprevalence of M. suis infection at the animal level was 31.9% (1277/4004; 95% CI: 30.5%, 33.4%), whereas at the farm level, this value was 95.65% (66/69; 95% CI: 87.8%, 99.1%). The seroprevalence of M. suis was higher in replacement gilts (40.6%; 95% CI: 35.1%, 46.3%), multiparous sows (48.2%; 95% CI: 45.8%, 50.7%) and boars (44.4%; 95% CI: 34.5%, 54.8%), as compared to piglets (13.0%; 95% CI: 9.4%, 17.3%), weaned-piglets (10.8%; 95% CI: 8.9%, 13.0%), and growing-finishing pigs (25.0%; 95% CI: 22.0%, 28.3%). In terms of seasons, the prevalence of M. suis in pigs was significantly higher in summer (65.3%; 95% CI: 61.0%, 69.5%) and autumn (65.0%; 95% CI: 59.0%, 70.6%) compared to spring (30.1%; 95% CI: 26.0%, 34.4%) and winter (36.4%; 95% CI: 31.4%, 41.5%). Farm-level risk factors were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis. The associated factors retained in the final multivariable logistic regression model were drug treatment, presence of mosquitoes and flies, and frequency of disinfection. Drug treatment (OR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.88; P = 0.031) and frequency of disinfection (OR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.90; P = 0.035) were protective factors, and the presence of mosquitoes and flies (OR = 5.994; 95% CI: 1.56, 23.00; P = 0.009) was a risk factor for M. suis infection on farms. The results of the present study provide the first insight into the impact of associated determinants on M. suis infection in central China.     

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi isolated from dogs

The susceptibility to 23 antimicrobial agents was determined in 114 isolates of Staphylococcus intermedius and eight isolates of Staphylococcus schleiferi of canine origin. Overall, 73% of S. intermedius isolates and 37.5% of S. schleiferi isolates were susceptible to all the 23 antimicrobials tested. The large majority of S. intermedius strains retained susceptibility to antimicrobials currently employed in treatment of pyoderma (cephalosporins, cotrimoxazole and association amoxicillin–clavulanic acid) as well as to those effective against staphylococci (fusidic acid, rifampicin and fluoroquinolones). Resistance in S. intermedius was observed mainly against macrolides, chloramphenicol and lincosamides, while S. schleiferi isolates retained susceptibility to all antimicrobials except three of six fluoroquinolones. Although, our results confirm susceptibility to antimicrobials currently employed in pyoderma treatment, the several different resistance patterns observed for S. intermedius emphasize the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing of canine staphylococci to choose the most appropriate treatment of infections and to allow the prudent use of antimicrobial drugs in companion animals.     

Evaluation of a single dose versus a divided dose regimen of danofloxacin in treatment of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection in pigs

A single versus a divided dose regimen of danofloxacin was evaluated in treatment of porcine Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae infection using clinical observations combined with biochemical infection markers: C-reactive protein, zinc and ascorbic acid. Twenty hours after experimental infection, the 18 pigs received danofloxacin intravenously as a single dose of 2.5mg/kg or four doses of 0.6 mg/kg administered at 24h intervals. These dosage regimens resulted in similar AUCs of the plasma danofloxacin vs time curve. The maximum concentration was 3.5-fold higher using the single dose regimen, while the time with concentrations above the MIC was 2.5-fold longer using the fractionated regimen. Using the single dose regimen, temperature was normalised 32 h post-infection. In contrast, normalisation was delayed until 44 h post-infection using four low doses and a relapse with elevated temperatures at 52 and 68 h was observed. No other significant differences between the treatments were found, neither regarding clinical, haematological nor biochemical observations. The use of the more convenient single dose regimen was appropriate, as it was at least equivalent to the fractionated regimen.     

Identification of the tet(B) resistance gene in Streptococcus suis

The tetracycline resistance gene, tet(B), has been described previously in Gram negative bacteria. In this study tet(B) was detected in plasmid extracts from 17/111 (15%) Streptococcus suis isolates from diseased pigs, representing the first report of this resistance gene in Gram positive bacteria.     

Increasing feed withdrawal and lairage times prior to slaughter decreases the gastrointestinal tract weight but favours the growth of cecal Enterobacteriaceae in pigs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of different feed withdrawal and lairage times prior to slaughter on the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) weight and on the fermentation pattern and numbers of Enterobacteriaceae in the cecum of pigs. A total of 72 finishing pigs (6 pens, 12 animals each) were included in the study and were sent to the slaughterhouse on three consecutive days. On each day pigs from two pens were deprived of feed for either 2 or 12 h before leaving the farm. Pigs from each of the two pens were divided in sub-groups (4 pigs each) on the moment of loading onto the truck and followed the same distribution at the slaughterhouse. Once there, each sub-group corresponding to the same feed withdrawal time was held in different holding pens for 0, 5 or 10 h before slaughter. The weight of the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) was determined and cecal content was collected to evaluate pH, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and ammonia (NH₃) concentrations as well as lactobacilli and Enterobacteriaceae numbers. Total GIT weight decreased as feed withdrawal (P < 0.0001) and lairage time (P < 0.001) increased within a range between 6.69 and 4.59 kg. Cecal pH increased with feed withdrawal (P < 0.0001) and lairage time (P = 0.0001) (ranging from 5.79 to 6.79) in parallel to a decrease in the total SCFA concentration (P < 0.005) (from 211 to 100 mM). The percentages of acetic and propionic acid were not modified by the experimental treatments but significant decreases were registered in the percentage of butyric acid with the increased times of both withdrawal (P < 0.0001) and lairage (P < 0.005). The percentage of valeric and branched SCFA and also NH₃ concentration showed an increase with withdrawal (P < 0.005, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.005 respectively) and lairage (P < 0.005, P < 0.0001 and P < 0.001 respectively). Lactobacilli numbers decreased as lairage time increased (from 9.97 to 8.63 log 16S rRNA gene copies/g FM; P < 0.05) and Enterobacteriaceae numbers increased with both, feed withdrawal (P < 0.05) and lairage (P < 0.05) (ranging from 8.53 to 9.95 log 16S rRNA gene copies/g FM).The previous to slaughter increase in feed withdrawal and lairage times decreased the GIT weight but involved changes in the gut microbial ecosystem caused through changes in the fermentation pattern that lead to the increase of Enterobacteriaceae numbers. This increase could represent a higher risk of carcass contamination by the enteropathogens of this group such as Salmonella. However this potential risk should be further investigated.     

Deletion of sodCI and spvBC in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis reduced its virulence to the natural virulence of serovars Agona, Hadar and Infantis for mice but not for chickens early after infection

Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Dublin, Choleraesuis or Gallinarum can colonise liver and spleen in particular hosts while infections with serovars Infantis, Agona, Hadar, etc. are usually limited to gastrointestinal tract. Reasons for this behavior are unknown, although it has been shown that sodCI and spv genes exhibit a strict distribution between more and less virulent serovars and they influence Salmonella virulence. However to what extent the presence or absence of these genes is associated with the increased virulence of serovars which possess them has never been addressed experimentally. In this study we therefore first confirmed the exclusive association of spvB and sodCI genes with the former group of serovars. In the next step we removed these two genes from S. Enteritidis genome and compared the virulence of such a mutant with the virulence of S. Infantis, S. Agona and S. Hadar for chickens and highly sensitive Balb/C mice. Single strain infection showed that the deletion of these two genes from S. Enteritidis resulted in the reduction of its virulence for mice but not for chickens. Mixed infection further confirmed these observations and indicated that in mice but not in chickens the virulence of sodCI and spv mutant was reduced to the natural virulence of serovars Infantis, Agona and Hadar. Although sodCI and spv genes do not influence S. Enteritidis virulence for chickens directly, they may be of an indirect effect through the increased persistence of S. Enteritidis in mice and increased probability of the reintroduction of S. Enteritidis into poultry flocks.     

Natural infection by Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia sp. and Eimeria leuckarti in three groups of equines with different handlings in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

To detect Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia sp. and Eimeria leuckarti in horses, fecal samples were collected from three different handling horse groups from the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Group A was composed of “Mangalarga Marchador” pure breed horses, Group B was formed by horses of a Military Corporation and Group C by stray horses captured by the Center of Zoonosis Control Paulo Dacorso Filho. A total of 396 fecal samples were collected, 212 samples from Group A, 154 samples from Group B and 30 from Group C. The material was submitted to the centrifugation - flotation technique and staining by the safranin-methylene blue technique and analyzed. Oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. were identified in 0.75% of the samples (n = 3); cysts of Giardia sp. in 0.5% (n = 2) and oocysts of E. leuckarti in 0.5% (n = 2). One case of E. leuckarti in group A and one of Cryptosporidium sp. in group B were observed. In group C were observed two cases of Cryptosporidium, two of Giardia and one of E. leuckarti,. Horses of group C were more parasitized by the three protozoans than animals from the other groups (p < 0.01). It was possible to verify that factors related to the animals, like host individual susceptibility and sanitary factors may influence the occurrence of natural infections by gastrointestinal protozoans, although the age did not have influence. This study reports, for the first time, the occurrence of Cryptosporidium sp., Giardia sp. and E. leuckarti in equines of the State of Rio de Janeiro.     

Persistent immune responses in late infection and after treatment in experimental Schistosoma bovis infections in goats

This study explored host immune responses and their possible relationship to the anti-fecundity phenomenon in Schistosoma bovis-infected goats. The design comprised a primary infection with or without treatment at week (wk) 13, and with or without challenge at wk 36. Necropsy was performed at 36 or 52 wk. Serum levels of anti-egg IgG, and anti-worm IgG and IgM, were measured by ELISA. In chronic infection, anti-worm antibodies stayed high, reflecting persisting worm burdens, whereas anti-egg IgG remained high despite minimized egg excretion. After treatment, anti-worm IgM and anti-egg IgG were minimized, but anti-worm IgG remained above the values of the uninfected controls. Histopathology showed lowered numbers of perioval granulomas in chronic infection and resolution of liver fibrosis with time, but intestinal lymphoplasmacytic perivasculitis and hepatic eosinophilic infiltrates were maintained at wk 52. Significant splenic plasmacytosis persisted after treatment. The results indicated that persistent immune responses, in chronically infected and in treated goats, may explain sustained worm fecundity depression at challenge infection.     

Pasteurella multocida isolation in a horse with retropharyngeal infection

Retropharyngeal infections in horses normally induce local painful swelling of the retropharyngeal area, which may lead to dyspnea, dysphagia, and systemic manifestations. Differential diagnosis of local painful swelling of the retropharyngeal area includes retropharyngeal lymph node infection, neoplasm, cellulitis, hematoma, guttural pouch empyema, parotiditis, and jugular thrombosis. Apart from Streptococcus equi ssp. equi, other bacteria are rarely reported as a cause of retropharyngeal abscesses. The reason for this might be a lack of specific sampling to identify the causative agent. This work deals with a case of retropharyngeal infection in an 11-year-old Standardbred stallion with acute depression, fever, tachycardia, asymmetric painful swelling in the throat area, ptyalism, and respiratory distress. Endoscopy, radiography, ultrasonography, blood analysis, and cytological examination of a puncture sample taken from the throat mass were consistent with a pyogenic to pyogranulomatous retropharyngeal inflammation. The clinical evolution was initially satisfactory in response to treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, but clinical signs relapsed twice, each time a few weeks after cessation of antibiotic therapy. The bacteriologic finding in this case was unusual and consisted of the isolation of a Pasteurella multocida strain that was obtained after the second relapse (ie, 79 days after initial admission), using a brain heart infusion (BHI) medium, and after two successive negative bacteriological cultures performed on day one of clinical signs and at the first relapse of clinical signs, respectively.     

Cessation of clinical disease and spirochete shedding after tiamulin treatment in pigs experimentally infected with “Brachyspira hampsonii”

With the emergence of “Brachyspira hampsonii” associated with swine dysentery in North America, identification of effective treatments and interventions is a pressing need. Denagard® (tiamulin hydrogen fumarate) Liquid Concentrate 12.5% is approved in the United States for treatment of dysentery caused by Brachyspira hyodysenteriae at 0.006% in the water. In this study, the effectiveness of tiamulin in resolving clinical disease, eliminating viable spirochete shedding, and reducing neutrophilic colitis following infection with either “B. hampsonii” or B. hyodysenteriae was evaluated. Seventy-eight 7-week-old crossbred pigs were divided into three groups [sham-inoculated (n = 18), “B. hampsonii”-inoculated (n = 30), and B. hyodysenteriae-inoculated (n = 30)]. Each inoculum group was divided into three subgroups which received either 0.006% tiamulin, 0.018% tiamulin, or no medication. Both levels of tiamulin resolved clinical disease within 24 h of treatment initiation, eliminated spirochete shedding within 72 h of treatment initiation, and resolved and/or prevented histologic lesions in pigs infected with either Brachyspira spp.     

Climate and Dirofilaria infection in Europe

Climatic changes, together with an increase in the movement of cats and dogs across Europe, have caused an increase in the geographical range of several vector borne parasites like Dirofilaria, and in the risk of infection for animals and humans. The present paper reviews the effects of climate and other global drivers on Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens infections in Europe and the possible implications on the transmission and control of these mosquito-borne nematodes. In the last several years, growing degree day (GDD)-based forecast models, which use wide or local scale temperature data, have been developed to predict the occurrence and seasonality of Dirofilaria in different parts of the world. All these models are based on the fact that: there is a threshold of 14 °C below which Dirofilaria development will not proceed; and there is a requirement of 130 GDD for larvae to reach infectivity and a maximum life expectancy of 30 days for a vector mosquito. The output of these models predicts that the summer temperatures (with peaks in July) are sufficient to facilitate extrinsic incubation of Dirofilaria even at high latitudes. The global warming projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that warm summers suitable for Dirofilaria transmission in Europe will be the rule in the future decades and if the actual trend of temperature increase continues, filarial infection should spread into previously infection-free areas. These factors not only favour incubation of Dirofilaria, but also impact on mosquito species. Recent findings have also demonstrated that Aedes albopictus is now considered to be an important, competent vector of Dirofilaria infections. This mosquito species could spread from southern to northern European countries in the near future, changing the epidemiological patterns of dirofilariosis both in humans and animals.     

贵州某野生动物园长臂猿流感病毒、支原体及巴氏杆菌混合感染的诊治

为弄清贵州某野生动物园长臂猿死亡的原因,本试验采用流行病学调查、临床症状观察、病理剖检诊断和RT-PCR检测确诊等方法,对该野生动物园发病长臂猿进行了诊断。试验结果显示,流行病学调查、剖检病理初步诊断该野生动物园长臂猿疑似流感病毒、支原体和细菌混合感染,RT-PCR/PCR检测确诊发病长臂猿为流感病毒、支原体混合感染,细菌分离培养、生化特性鉴定和动物致病性试验确诊为多杀性巴氏杆菌感染。结果表明造成该野生动物园长臂猿发病死亡的原因为流感病毒、支原体和多杀性巴氏杆菌混合感染。根据诊断及药敏试验结果,制定出了免疫预防及治疗措施。     

The efficacy of valnemulin (Econor) in the control of disease caused by experimental infection of calves with Mycoplasma bovis

Mycoplasma bovis infection was experimentally induced in groups of six young calves. A further group was uninfected and served as a control. Ten days after infection, medication with either enrofloxacin (Baytril, Bayer) or valnemulin (Econor, Novartis) was instituted via the milk replacer for a further 10 days, after which all calves were killed. Infection resulted in depression, pyrexia, inappetance and prominent respiratory signs. Arthritis occurred in two animals and two (unmedicated) animals died. At post-mortem examination extensive lesions were present in the lungs and M. bovis was re-isolated from infected unmedicated calves' lungs. Medication with either enrofloxacin or valnemulin resulted in a rapid diminution of clinical signs, restoration of appetite and reversal of weight loss. Isolation of Pasteurella multocida from the calves' lungs was suppressed by both medicaments. Valnemulin resulted in a more rapid reduction of clinical scores and eliminated M. bovis from the lungs more effectively than enrofloxacin.     

Genetic organization and preferential distribution of putative pilus gene clusters in Streptococcus suis

Recent analyses of Streptococcus suis isolates using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) suggested the importance of sequence type (ST) 1 and ST27 complexes for animal hygiene and public health. In this study, to investigate whether pilus-associated genes in S. suis can be used as novel genetic markers for important clonal groups, we examined the correlation between STs and putative pilus-associated gene profiles in S. suis. Genomic searches using sequenced genomes and sequence data determined in several isolates revealed the presence of at least four distinct putative pilus gene clusters in S. suis (srtBCD, srtE, srtF, and srtG clusters). On the basis of the presence or absence of genes in the four clusters, 108 S. suis isolates from various origins were classified into 12 genotypes (genotypes A–L). Genotypes A and B, which possessed srtBCD plus srtF clusters and srtF plus srtG clusters, respectively, were the most common in isolates from diseased pigs and humans, and 29.9% and 59.8% of the isolates belonged to genotypes A and B, respectively. In contrast, only 4.8% and 28.6% of isolates from healthy carriers were genotypes A and B, respectively. MLST analysis showed the associations of genotypes A and B with ST1 and ST27 complexes, respectively. In addition, srtBCD and srtG clusters were preferentially distributed to ST1 and ST27 complex members, respectively. These results suggest that profiling of selected pilus-associated genes could be used as an easy screening method to monitor isolates important for S. suis infection.     

Effects of Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta infection on lambs selected for high fleece weight

The physiological processes leading to the expression of the resilient phenotype, which allow animals to maintain a relatively higher production level during infection, have been investigated in lambs from a closed flock selected for 40 generations for high fleece weight (HFW), but with higher FEC and worm burdens than their unselected control (C) flock run in parallel. After recovery from surgery to implant abomasal cannulae, eight parasite-naïve lambs from each flock were infected intraruminally at 4.5 months-of-age with 50,000 Teladorsagia circumcincta L3. Blood, abomasal fluid and faecal samples were collected daily for measurement of serum gastrin and pepsinogen concentrations, blood eosinophils, abomasal pH and FEC. Four lambs from each flock were euthanased on Day 8 post-infection and the other four on Day 28 post-infection. At necropsy, abomasal contents and tissues were collected for worm counts, abomasal lymph nodes and fundic tissue for cytokine gene expression and fundic tissue for histopathology. Expression of resilience appeared to be age-dependent as there were no significant differences in either FEC or worm burden between lambs from the two flocks, unlike older HFW lambs in a previous study. Abomasal secretion did not differ between flocks. Histopathological changes were typical of parasitism: inflammatory cells, mainly eosinophils and lymphocytes, were numerous in nodular areas and there were fewer TGF-α positive parietal cells, many of which were vacuolated. By Day 28 p.i., globule leucocytes were present. Mucosal thickness was significantly greater on Day 8 than Day 28 p.i. (p = 0.000) and in C than HFW lambs. There were fewer parietal cells on Day 28 than on Day 8 p.i. (p = 0.003) for pooled data. Circulating eosinophil counts increased moderately in both groups, significantly less in the HFW lambs. Fewer tissue and blood eosinophils in the HFW than C group on Day 8 p.i. were consistent with cytokine gene expression patterns, particularly lower IL-5 levels. Worm count decreased by 90% by Day 28 p.i., along with declining tissue eosinophil counts and IL-13 gene expression and increasing IL-10 and IL-4 gene expression. Food intake was depressed less in the HFW lambs, suggesting that maintenance of appetite could be an important aspect of the physiological basis for resilience. Although the resilient phenotype was not apparent at the younger age, lesser effects on food intake, differences in ALN cytokine profiles and lower blood and tissue eosinophil numbers in the HFW lambs may lead to the expression of resilience when older.