Mycotic gastritis and enteric cryptosporidiosis in a Holstein calf M.Burak Ates*1 Mustafa Ortatatli1 Fatih Hatipoglu1 M.Kemal Ciftci1 Ozgur Ozdemir1 Funda Terzi1 1
Selcuk University Veterinary Faculty, Department of Pathology, Konya, Turkey (E-mail:
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ABSTRACT In this presentation, fungal infection in the forestomaches and abomasum with enteric cryptosporidiosis cases were identified as pathologically in a female, 21 days of Holstein calf. At necropsy; in the mucosa of all forestomaches, areas of marked bleeding with necrosis similar to milk clot, which could be realized from the serosa, were noticed. Bleeding ulcers in view of drilled with staples were also found in the abomasum. Additionally, the catarrhal enteritis table with hyperemia was observed in the gut mucosa. At histopathological examination; widespread necrosis of mucosa extending to serosa, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage, edema and fibrinous exudate along with nonseptate fungal hyphae in some places were seen in the rumen, reticulum and omasum. Thrombosis of the vessels in the submucosa and in necrotic areas, and more intense fungal hyphae especially in the veins were also detected. In addition, fungal agents in staining with PAS were determined as nonseptate, branched and pinky hyphae.
Keywords: Mycotic gastritis, cryptosporidiosis, fungal infection, holstein calf.
1. INTRODUCTION
Mycotic infection should be suspected when inflammation in the wall of the forestomachs spread to the serosa and is hemorrhagic and angiocentric. The fungi are opportunists, are generally zygomycetes of the genera Mucor, Rhizopus, and Absidia, which cannot be distinguished from each other in histologic sections.[1, 2] Mycotic rumenitis is much more violent and widespread than necrobacillary rumenitis, and is usually mortal. The basis for the lesion is submucosal venular thrombosis created by fungal 1
invasion, causing venous infarction of the tissue field related. The inflammation expand to the peritoneum, causing hemorrhagic and fibrinous peritonitis that mats the omentum to the rumen. In mortal cases, most of the ventral pouch and parts of the reticulum, omasum and abomasum are involved. The lesions are very stunning and suggest on initial examination that the walls have been massively infarcted, which in part they have. The borders are well demarcated, generally by a limited zone of congestive swelling. The affected areas are roughly annular, red to black, sometimes with a pale centric area, thickened to 1 cm or more, rigid and like coriaceous. [3] In the mucosa, diphtheroid necrotic ulcerations are also found. [1,8] Mycotic infecitons can generally follow ruminal acidosis but Mycotic rumenitis and omasitis may take place in cows that do not have a case history of acidosis. It has been suggested that these cases may be a sequel of sepsis, with reflux of abomasal fluid into the forestomachs, and therapy with wide-spectrum antimicrobials acting as predisposing factors for mycotic infections. It can also be a result to ruminal damage in survivors of bovine viral diarrhea virus infection.[2, 4] Additionally, these agents pass through the blood to placenta, resulting in mycotic placentitis and also abortion [5,6,7] Cryptosporidium is a small apicomplexan protist, found on the surface of epithelium in the gastrointestinal, biliary, and respiratory tracts of mammals.Cryptosporidia are found in many conditions, and in some types infection appears to be asymptomatic. Neonates are mostly vulnerable to intestinal infections, and this is particularly so among ruminants (calves, lambs) infected with C. parvum. Diarrhea, anorexia, and depression in calves generally take place between ∼1 and 4 weeks of age, and in lambs ∼5-14 days old. But naive calves up to 3 months of age are vulnerable to infection and may develop diarrhea. İntestinal cryptosporidiosis is related with villus atrophy of variable severity and by hypertrophy of crypts of Lieberkuhn. Organisms typically are most seriously distributed in the distal half of the small intestine, particularly in ileum, although sometimes cryptosporidia may occur in the cecum and colon. [3] In this case presentation, fungal infection in the forestomaches and abomasum with enteric cryptosporidiosis cases were identified as pathologically in a female, 21 days of Holstein calf. 2. MATERIAL AND METHODS
Tissue samples taken from organs were fixed in %10 formalin solutions and then routine processing procedure was performed. The sections, obtained from paraffin blocks in 5 micron thickness, were routinely stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and some section also stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction. Ordinary microbiological investigation was performed from rumens and other forestomaches. Additionally, fecal smears were stained by modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique for parasitological examination.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
It has been reported that the calf had diarrhea for 2 weeks and died without responding to clinical treatments. At necropsy; in the mucosa of all forestomaches, areas of marked bleeding with necrosis similar to milk clot, which could be realized from the serosa, were noticed. Bleeding ulcers in view of drilled with staples were also found in the abomasum. Additionally, the catarrhal enteritis table with hyperemia was observed in the gut mucosa. 2
At histopathological examination; widespread necrosis of mucosa extending to serosa, inflammatory cell infiltration, hemorrhage, edema and fibrinous exudate along with nonseptate fungal hyphae in some places were seen in the rumen, reticulum and omasum. Thrombosis of the vessels in the submucosa and in necrotic areas, and more intense fungal hyphae especially in the veins were also detected. The similar necrosis and vascular thrombosis lesions were observed in the abomasum mucosa. In addition, fungal agents in staining with PAS were determined as nonseptate, branched and pinky hyphae. Besides, the cryptosporidium agents hardly detectable as a shape of tiny black spots on the surface and within the intestinal epithelium were found. Additionally, at parasitological examination; Oocysts were demonstrated by fecal smears stained with modified Ziehl-Neelsen technique. To sum up, according to our results; mycotic infection complicated by cryptosporidiosis may cause serious digestive problems and deaths in calves.
Figure 1. Areas of marked bleeding with necrosis in forestomaches (arrows).
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Figure 2. Necrosis similar to milk clot in the reticulum (arrow).
Figure 3. Bleeding ulcers in view of drilled with staples, in the rumen. 4
Figure 4. Widespread necrosis of mucosa extending to serosa, inflammatory cell infiltration (HxE)
(A – 40X) Figure 5. Thrombosis of the vessels in the submucosa and in necrotic areas (HxE) (arrows)
(B - 200X)
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Figure 6. Fungal hyphae, in the veins, (HxE, X400) (arrows).
Figure 7. Fungal agents in staining with PAS (arrows)
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Figure 8. Cryptosporidium agents (stained by Modified Ziehl-Neelsen)
4. CONCLUSION As a result, it has been found appropriate to present this case to draw attention to the fungal infections complicated by cryptosporidiosis in the event of serious diarrhea and digestive problems that does not respond to treatment in calves. REFERENCES [1] [2] [3]
[4]
H. Jensen, , S. Olsen, and B. Aalbaek, Gastrointestinal aspergillosis and zygomycosis of cattle. Veterinary Pathology Online, 1994. 31(1): p. 28-36. Y. Chihaya, et al., A pathological study of bovine alimentary mycosis. Journal of comparative pathology, 1992. 107(2): p. 195-206. F.A Uzal, B.L. Plattner, and J.M. Hostetter, Alimentary System, in Jubb, Kennedy, and Palmer's pathology of domestic animals volume 2, Sixth Edition, M.G. Maxie, Editor. 2016. p. 2-257. H.Jensen, H. Schønheyder, and A. Basse, Acute disseminated aspergillosis in a cow with special reference to penetration and spread. Journal of comparative pathology, 1991. 104(4): p. 411-417.
[5]
P.K.C. Austwick, J.A. J. Venn, 1961 Mycotic abortion in England and Wales 19541960.Proc IV Int Congr Anim Reprod. 1-4,562-568.
[6]
J.P. Neitzke, B. Schiefer 1974 Incidence of mycotic gastritis in calves up to 30 days of age. Can.Vet. Jour. 15(5) ,139-143.
[7]
H.V. Krogh, 1985. Bovine mycotic abortion in Denmark. Nordisk Veterinaermedicin. 37(1), 27-33.
[8] Y. Wada, T. Nakaoka, T.Ikeda, 1994. Candidiasis caused by Candidia glabrata in the forestomachs of a calf. J.Comp.Path.111, 315-319. 7
