PIROPLASMOSES 449 



plished to susceptible animals by introducing intra-abdomin- 

 ally large pieces of spleen. 



Symptoms. — The period of incubation is ten to twelve 

 days. The first symptoms are those of high fever, salivation, 

 bloody diarrhea, swelling of the lymph glands of the throat, 

 emaciation, and weakness. Anemia and, hemoglobinuria are 

 usually^ not present. The appetite of the patient may 

 be retained until the last stages. 



Prognosis. — The disease is very malignant, the mortality 

 among young cattle reaching 60 to 90 per cent. 



Prophylaxis. — Is similar to that of Texas fever and depends 

 upon the eradication of the tick. The value of blood and 

 serum inoculations is very questionable. 



Piroplasmosis of the Horse (Biliary Fever). — Definition.— 

 The piroplasmosis of horses is an infectious blood disease 

 . which occurs chiefly in Italy, Russia, and. also in Africa and 

 India. It is due to the Piroplasma equi. 



Occurrence. — The disease occurs so far as reported only 

 in the countries noted above. In Russia it is most common 

 among young native horses which run on low swampy 

 pastures. Aged horses imported from non infected localities 

 are, however, susceptible. 



Etiology. — The disease is due to the Piroplasma equi, a small 

 polymorphous parasite found in the red blood corpuscles. 

 The carriers of the infection are several varieties of ticks. 

 In Russia the Dermacentor reticulatus and in Africa the 

 Rhipicephalus Evertsi are the carriers. Besides horses, 

 asses, and mules, zebras and quaggas take the disease. 

 The disease may be transmitted by blood from immune 

 horses. While one attack produces immunity this immunity 

 is readily overcome by anything which decreases the resist- 

 ance of the animal (hard work, other diseases). Imported 

 horses are much more susceptible than natives. 



Symptoms. — The period of incubation is about fourteen 

 days, after which there develops a remittent f ever with great 

 heart weakness, rapid puke, icteric discoloration of the 

 mucous membranes, hemorrhage from the conjunctiva, 

 great mental depression, dyspnea, constipation followed by 

 diarrhea, emaciation, polyuria and yellow discoloration of < 

 29 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



