Pathological and immunohistochemical study of the abomasum and abomasal lymph nodes in goats experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus

Histopathological changes and the distributions of T and B lymphocytes and IgG producing plasma cells were recorded in the abomasum and abomasal lymph nodes of goats 3, 7 and 21 weeks post-infection (wpi) after an experimental infection with H. contortus. The low rate of worm recovery by 3 wpi (5.6%) might have been due to larvae death as suggested by the presence of granulomas in the abomasal mucosa at 3 and 7 wpi, or simply due to a poor larval establishment. Marked increase in the secretion of mucus by mucous cells together with an abundant infiltration of eosinophils, mast cells, CD3+ T lymphocytes, CD79a+ B cells, IgG+ plasma cells and globule leukocytes were recorded in the abomasal mucosa, especially at 7 wpi. Except for the globule leukocytes, this reaction decreased substantially by week 21, suggesting this cell type may have been involved in rejection of adult nematodes. The abomasal lymph nodes showed marked hyperplasia, particularly of CD79a+ B cells and IgG+ plasma cells in all infected goats. These reactions may have been responsible for the reduction in the number of worms found in the abomasum between 3 and 7 wpi.