790 Piroplasmosis of Sheep. 



double pear shapes, also in rod and cross shapes (Fig. 136). 

 The disease may be transmitted with the blood of affected ani- 

 mals artificially to older sheep, 

 ^ but still more easily to lambs. 



^ The inoculated animals show, 



^^^ after 8 to 10 days, febrile symp- 



• ^ ^ -^ toms, and at the same time para- 



% ^ ^^kft® ^^*®^ ™^^ ^^ found in their red 



® ^^ ^ ^ gP, ^ blood corpuscles. 

 ®|.^ fe^T ^p The disease is transmitted 



S^ ^ ^ <S^^ ® under natural conditions by sex- 

 |p ^^ g^ ually mature ticks (Rhipicephalus 



^^A®^ bursa), which as larvae or nymphs 



®9 W have sucked the blood of affected 



^ g^ ^ sheep (the infection also succeeds 



^ artificially with such females, if 



Fig. 136. Pij-opZaswa OCTS. stained -n -nlflppd in the fleece of 



with earbo-thionin. (After Motas.) Y^ ^\®^ piacea m xne neeoe 01 



lambs [Motas]). 



Dschunkowsky & Luhs have observed the disease also in goats, and 

 according to their observations in Trans-Caucasia these animals are 

 affected simultaneously with sheep, although they are of the opinion 

 that the piroplasma of goats (Ppl. hirei) differ from those of sheep, 

 in that they are only one-half the size of the latter (0.43-1-71 p- long). 

 Similar bodies were observed in goats also by Panse, in East Africa. 



Anatomical Chang'es. The autopsy findings disclose hem- 

 orrhagic inflammation, sometimes also superficial necrosis of 

 the mucous membrane of the pyloric half of the abomasum, of 

 the duodenum and rectum ; further an acute swelling of the 

 spleen, parenchymatous degeneration of the liver and kidneys 

 (their dark brownish-red coloration frequently shows a greenish 

 hue), finally a gelatinous or gelatino-hemorrhagic infiltration of 

 the subcutaneous and the mediastinal connective tissue. Ap- 

 proximately 5-6% of the red blood corpuscles in the pulp of the 

 spleen contain piroplasma. 



Symptoms. The disease commences, after an incubation of 

 8 to 10 days, with a rise in the body temperature to 40-42° C, 

 weakness, loss of appetite and muscular trembling. Soon diffi- 

 culty in respiration, painful bleating appear, and 1 to 2 days 

 later indications of anemia, icterus, and lumbar weakness. The 

 initial constipation is followed by diarrhea, in which the animals 

 pass bloody feces under symptoms of colic. In some cases the 

 urine is red colored, as a result of oxyhemoglobinuria,. fre- 

 quently however also through hematuria. The number of 

 erythrocytes in the blood diminishes to 1% millions per cubic 

 millimeter, under the microscope they contain the small, mostly 

 roundish or oval parasites, which are also found on their surface 

 and in the blood plasma. About 50-60% of the affected animals, 

 mostly older sheep and 3 to 4 months' old lambs, die in 2 to 5 



