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EXPERIMENTAL TOXOPLASMOSIS IN PREGNANT SOWS
Author(s) -
Møller T.,
Fennestad K. L.,
Eriksen L.,
Work K.,
Siim J. Ghr.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
acta pathologica microbiologica scandinavica section a pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0365-4184
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1970.tb03299.x
Subject(s) - pathological , toxoplasmosis , toxoplasma gondii , offspring , pregnancy , biology , necrosis , pathology , strain (injury) , physiology , medicine , immunology , antibody , anatomy , genetics
Eight pigs and six pregnant sows were infected with cysts of a porcine strain or trophozoites of the RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. The pigs and the sows with their offspring of retained, stillborn or liveborn piglets, were examined for pathological changes at death, parturition or sacrifice. The pathological changes did not appear to be influenced by the infecting strain, but the extent of the lesions was more pronounced in the younger than in the older animals. The lesions in acute fatal infections of retained or stillborn piglets, in liveborn congenitally infected piglets, and in one pig and one sow were characterized by changes of exudative and degenerative nature with focal necrosis. Toxoplasma was demonstrable morphologically in all animals that died after clinical disease, and non‐viable Toxoplasma was demonstrable in 17 of 24 retained or stillborn piglets with pathological changes. The lesions in chronic infections of piglets, pigs and sows were characterized by reactive changes with formation of granulomas. Morphological demonstration of Toxoplasma was difficult in these cases, even though pathological changes indicative of toxoplasmosis were present. It is suggested that, in certain circumstances, Toxoplasma is able to provoke a tissue reaction of “specific” granulomatous nature.