The pathology of cytauxzoonosis in a tsessebe (Damaliscus lunatus)
Jardine, J.E.
Journal of the South African Veterinary Association 63(1): 49-51
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 1019-9128 PMID: 1569543 Document Number: 391991
A natural, fatal case of cytauxzoonosis in a 3-week-old tsessebe (D. lunatus) calf from a private game ranch in the Warmbaths district, central Transvaal, South Africa, is reported. The macroscopical and histological pathology are described, the most significant lesion of which was severe, focal disseminate necrosis and haemorrhage in the liver. Similar but less severe lesions were present in the heart, skeletal muscle, kidneys and spleen in conjunction with a moderate interstitial pneumonia. Schizonts were found within mononuclear phagocytes and multi-nucleated syncytial cells in the liver, lungs, spleen and kidneys. Parasitised erythrocytes with up to 4 piroplasms/cell were seen. The ultrastructural features of the parasite are consistent with those of Cytauxzoon spp.