Coccidiosis of tlie Liver. 559 



times, and showed small nodules varying in size up to a pin's head, 

 especially close under the capsule. In these cases there were also 

 narrow tortuous burrows in the liver tissue of a red or reddish yellow 

 color. The contents of the nodules and burrows were either caseous or 

 calcified, but the larvae of sclerostomes could be demonstrated. 



2. Eustrongylus gigas. This parasite was found by Lissizin in 

 the liver of a dog which had had convulsions for three days. 



3. Linguatula denticulata (Pentastomum denticulatum) was 

 found in large numbers in the liver of a goat that had shown symp- 

 toms of debility for a long time. The same parasite was found in the 

 liver of an otherwise apparently healthy ox. The capsule of the liver 

 showed large numbers of openings measuring about 3 mm., and leading 

 into cavities each of which contained a larval linguatula. Similar cav- 

 ities were visible in the deeper layers of the liver. 



4. Occasionally ascarides (Ascaris megalocephala, A. suilla) wan- 

 der out of the intekine into the large bile-ducts in the horse and pig 

 and may cause symptoms of colic or epileptiform seizures (Roll, Ort- 

 mann). In cats the embryos of the Ollulanus tricuspis which normal- 

 ly inhabits the stomach are sometimes found in the liver. 



Literature. Gerlach, Hann. Jhb., 1869.— Limgwitz, Z. f. Flhyg., 1893, III, 

 218.— V. Ratz, Vet., 1890, 269; 1892, 305 (Lit.).— Schlegel, B. t. W., 1907, 53. 



(d) Coccidiosis of the Liver. Coccidiosis hepatis. 



Coccidiosis of the liver is an enzootic disease among rab- 

 bits, affecting the liver and tlie bile ducts and is caused by the 

 Coccidium oviforme. 



Etiology. The Coccidium oviforme Leuckart (Eimeria 

 cunicnii) has a double outer membrane with one pole slightly 

 flattened and measuring 30 to 50 m in length, and 14 to 28 ^ in 

 breadth. (For the development of coccidia, see page 497.) 



Natural Infection. The natural method of infection is by 

 the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of 

 rabbits that are affected with the disease or that have coc- 

 cidia in their livers. Young animals are especially susceptible, 

 and in them the disease is apt to be severe. Adult animals, 

 on the other hand, are affected less seriously, and as a rule, 

 show no symptoms. Such animals are capable of infecting 

 young animals by means of their feces. 



Pathogenesis. It is not yet known in what form and in 

 what manner the parasites reach the liver. They multiply in 

 the bile ducts and produce enormous proliferation of the epi- 

 thelium. 



Anatomical Changes. The lesions vary in size up to a pea 

 or even a hazelnut, and take the form of whitish-yellow nodules 

 that are somewhat prominent and contain a creamy or cas- 



