Eosinophilic myositis in a slaughtered Korean native cattle

Histopathological findings of eosinophilic myositis in the carcass of a slaughtered Korean native cow are presented. Lesions contained massive fibrous septae with vacuolar changes in some lesions, and the hypercontraction and rupturing of muscle bundles, with replacement by eosinophils. Necrosis and severe eosinophil infiltration were observed. Sarcoplasmic fragmentation and atrophy developed. Typical of granuloma, calcified myofibers were focally surrounded by macrophages and numerous inflammatory cells, and multinucleated giant cell formation was evident.     

Type-I hypersensitivity as a component of eosinophilic myositis (muscular sarcocystosis) in cattle

Eight bovine hearts with lesions of eosinophilic myositis (EM) and 2 bovine hearts without EM lesions were collected at slaughter. Blood samples from these 10 hearts, and the heart of a newborn calf also were collected. Histologically, Sarcocystis cruzi was identified in the 8 hearts with EM lesions and the 2 hearts without EM lesions, but not in the heart of the newborn calf. Serum was harvested from the 10 blood samples and was used in homologous, modified, passive cutaneous anaphylaxis tests. Antigen was prepared from S cruzi bradyzoites isolated from the 2 hearts without EM lesions. Serum samples from the 8 cattle with EM lesions reacted positively to S cruzi antigen. When heat-inactivated IgE in serum (56 C for 4 hours) was used, all passive cutaneous anaphylaxis responses were considered negative. Using ELISA, serum IgE concentrations from the 10 cattle with and without EM lesions were 2.2 to 9 U/ml. As determined by radial immunodiffusion, IgM concentrations were 80 to 215 mg/dl. Immunoglobulin G concentrations were 420 to 2,050 mg/dl, but most were less than or equal to 1,700 mg/dl. Immunoglobulin A concentrations were 0 to 62 mg/dl; 1 steer with EM lesions had 0 mg/dl. Double-gel immunodiffusion confirmed the presence of Sarcocystis-specific precipitating antibodies. Sera from the 10 cattle with and without EM lesions formed at least 1 precipitin band.     

Eosinophilic myositis in Canadian cattle.

Musculature from 198 Canadian cattle with suspected lesions of eosinophilic myositis were examined histologically and by pepsin digestion. Sera from 51 of the 198 animals were also examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anti-Trichinella antibodies. Viable larvae of Trichinella were not recovered from any of the cattle but one animal from Ontario tested positive for anti-Trichinella antibodies. Histologically, focal and/or diffuse eosinophilic myositis lesions were observed in 149 (75.2%) of the animals studied. Other conditions identified were sarcocystiosis, abscesses, cysticercosis, steatosis, fibrosis, granuloma, lymphosarcoma and necrosis. Sarcocystiosis was identified in 105 of the 198 animals in both normal and affected musculature. The study indicates that trichinosis is not a primary cause of eosinophilic myositis in cattle.     

Disease conditions responsible for condemnation of carcasses and organs in short-horn Zebu cattle slaughtered in Tanzania

A retrospective study (1987–1989) of disease conditions in slaughter animals was carried out in Morogoro Region in the Eastern zone of Tanzania. The study was based on pathological conditions responsible for condemnations of whole carcasses and organs. The results show that the main causes of condemnations of whole carcasses were tuberculosis (44%), emaciation (28%) and Cysticercus bovis (16%). Heads were condemned because of abscesses (55%) and tuberculosis (30%), whereas C. bovis (54%) and calcified cysts (46%) were responsible for condemnations of tongues. Liver flukes (70%) and calcified cysts (13%) were the major causes of liver condemnations. Causes of condemnation of kidneys were infarcts (60%), hydronephrosis (19%) and nephritis (14%), whereas those responsible for the lungs were pneumonia (51%), emphysema (22%), pleurisy (14%) and hydatidosis (8%). Pericarditis (36%), calcified cysts (35%) and C. bovis (17%) were observed in condemned hearts.     

Heavy sarcocystosis in the ocular musculature of cattle and buffaloes

A high prevalence of 71.5 per cent and 69.7 per cent of sarcocystosis was observed in the ocular musculature of cattle and buffaloes respectively, in Bihar, India. The concentration of cysts in the eye muscle was also usually heavy. Ocular musculature appears to be a preferred site for the development ofSarcocystis in these intermediate hosts, second only to the heart muscle. The species ofSarcocystis involved in the present study were morphologically indistinguishable fromS. cruzi in cattle andS. levinei in buffaloes. This appears to be the first report on the occurrence ofS. cruzi andS. levinei in ocular musculature.     

An outbreak of sarcocystosis in dairy cattle

Sixteen of 32 Friesian calves, 8 to 10 weeks old, died over 4 weeks. The calves were housed in pens previously used by dogs. Clinical signs included anorexia, pale mucous membranes, rapid weight loss, coughing and palpably enlarged superficial lymph nodes. At necropsy, calves were emaciated and had generalised enlargement of lymph nodes, pale mottling of skeletal muscles, excess peritoneal, thoracic and pericardial fluid and subpleural and subepicardial haemorrhages. Histologically there was a lymphadenitis, myositis, myocarditis, glomerulonephritis, interstitial pneumonitis and encephalitis. Schizonts of a sporozoan parasite, presumably Sarcocystis cruzi were found in the endothelial cells of blood vessels in many organs.     

The extent of the incidence of sarcocystosis in cattle and pig farms

The extensity of a chronic form of sarcocystosis was studied in certain age categories of cattle and pigs. The incidence of sarcocysts was investigated microscopically after 0.25% trypsin action in the muscles of bovine gullet and diaphragmal columns of pigs. Bovine fetuses and sucking calves did not have any sarcocysts. The first cases of positive findings were recorded in calves on milk diet (18.33%). The infestation rate of adult cattle is high in this country and reaches the level of 90%. The disease extensity in pigs is lower by an order and it did not exceed the level of 4%. There were found no significant differences (the mean 81.85%) in the infection rate in the cows coming from various regions of the CSR if the incidence of the disease was evaluated geographically. Larger percent differences were recorded between cattle and pig herds, mostly in the South Moravian Region, if evaluated by the districts and farms. The results of the investigation of 1273 head of cattle and 335 head of pigs coming from various farms were processed statistically. We tested the sarcocyst incidence in the muscular tissue in relation to the ways of housing and seasonal changes. Considerably lower rates of sarcocystosis infestation on the large cattle and pig farms were demonstrated. In the other case no relationship was proved. The samples taken in all year seasons could be evaluated in the same objective way. We discuss potential preventive measures of this parasitosis-zoonosis.     

An outbreak of sarcocystosis in a cattle herd.

In a cattle herd, 3 steers had anorexia and variable emaciation; 1 showed additional muscle stiffness, pyrexia, became recumbent and was killed in extremis. Gross changes in tissue specimens from this steer included grey-white foci in the skeletal muscle and a thickened, fibrous pleura. By histology interstitial pneumonia, myocarditis and necrotizing myositis were seen. There were wide-spread vascular lesions with endothelial damage, thrombosis and periarterial infiltrations. Sarcocystis-like schizonts were found in several organs, and different stages of thin-walled sarcocysts were seen in the myocardium. Examination of organs of 6 other steers in the same herd slaughtered 2 months later showed myocarditis, myositis, interstitial pneumonia and occasional vascular occlusions. There were a few schizonts in the spleen and lungs, and thin-walled sarcocysts were seen in the myocardium and skeletal muscle. It is concluded that development of vascular lesions probably represents an important step in the pathogenesis of sarcocystosis.     

Microbiological differences between cull cattle slaughtered at an abattoir and cull cattle slaughtered on farms

Tissue samples from 27 casualty adult dairy cattle slaughtered on farms and 32 'normal' cull dairy cattle were analysed microbiologically for total viable counts (tvc), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli o157, Salmonella enterica and Campylobacter species. Overall the counts of Enterobacteriaceae and tvc were higher in the animals slaughtered on farms, particularly in the spleen. One 'normal' animal yielded E coli O157, and one yielded Campylobacter jejuni, and eight of the cattle slaughtered on farms yielded C jejuni and five yielded S enterica.     

Cysticercosis of slaughtered cattle in northwestern Ethiopia

The occurrence of cysticercosis due to Taenia saginata in cattle slaughtered for meat in Amhara National Regional State, northwestern Ethiopia between September 2005 and February 2007 was investigated. Routine meat inspection of various organs of 4456 cattle in eight abattoirs of this region showed that 824 (18.49%) were infected with Cysticercus bovis. The occurrence rate did not vary significantly from abattoir to abattoir (P>0.5). The tongue, masseter muscles, heart muscles, triceps muscles and thigh muscles were the main predilection sites of the cysts. Of 4102 male cattle, examined, 768 (18.72%) had cysts of C. bovis while 56 (15.82%) of the 354 female animals investigated were infected. The animals slaughtered were all adults. No significant difference in occurrence was recorded between the sexes. Monthly occurrence of the cysts in the animals revealed a rise of infected animals during the dry season.