CUCCIUIOSIS OF THE IxTESTIXE IX THE GoAT 



BY 



A. C. .STEVEX.SON, M.B., M.K.C.S., L.K.C.P. (Loxu.), D.P.H. (Caxtab.) 



While working in the Wellcome Tropical Research Laboratories at Khartoum in the 

 winter of 1908-9, I came across the above condition. The goat was one that had come 

 from higher up the Nile and had been sent to the laboratories for diagnosis. Dr. Balfour 

 was away, and, unluckily, notice was not given me of the goat's death till well on in the 

 day, so that the post mortem took place about 9 hours after death and in the afternoon. 

 The goat, I learnt, had had great diflBculty over defsecation, though from the condition of 

 its stomach it was feeding well. 



Post iiwrfrm. — Skin very scaly, condition resembling favus. Thoracic organs normal, 

 liver, spleen, kidneys, etc., normal. A fair amount of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, 

 with adhesions recent and old. Numerous encysted cysticerci present in outer wall of 

 gut, some calcareoiis. The upper part of the small intestine was very translucent, and 

 showed numerous small white patches varying from 1-3 mm. in diameter. Portions of 

 the gut with nodules were hardened in formalin and showed coccidia in the later stages 

 of sporogony, the capsule being formed, and many microgametes free. The intestinal . ^ ""^ 

 epithelium was practically non-existent, but most of this was probably due to post epithelium 

 mortem changes. 



The second goat was one that also seemed ill, and, e.xternally and internally, the 

 conditions were much the same as in the first, except that the colonies in the gut were 

 fewer in number, and the gut in this case was not denuded of its epithelium. Here 

 sporogony had not gone so far, the coccidia seldom having capsules, but the growth of 

 gametocytes was well shown. Tissue was fixed in corrosive sublimate and glacial 

 acetic acid. 



The third goat was a younger one, and did not show any marked signs of illness. 

 The condition of favus was not so marked, and the colonies of coccidia were again fewer 

 in number. Here again, however, only early sporogony phases were to be found, and 

 those mostly luicrogametocytes. The mucous membrane was intact. 



The colonies of coccidia are very well defined, very few individuals being found Clearly defined 

 infecting cells away from the main mass. So definite is this that the cells on one side distribution of 



, , the coccidia 



of the lumen of a gland may be infected while those on the other are not. 



I have later received from Dr. Balfour portions of the intestines of two other goats, 

 and also their faeces. The first of these, Dr. Balfour tells me, was distinctly ill, the 

 second, however, showed no symptoms. In both of these, coccidia were present, but 

 only in late stages, many having their capsules formed. The mucous membrane of the 

 small intestine was in both cases entirely gone, though in the portions of large intestine 

 examined it was still present. There were also some enlarged lymphoid follicles with 

 formation of scar tissue in the centre, and in the large intestine under the mucous 

 membrane there were small round cell masses, each containing a small nematode worm. 

 The lymphoid patches in the small intestine closely resembled those in a human case from 

 which Dr. Balfour sent me tissue some time ago. Search for coccidia in the fseces was 

 disappointing. Very few were found and those that were found showed no signs of 

 division, being practically in the same state of development as the later stages seen in 

 sections of the intestine. 



