Pathological and immunohistochemical study of the liver and hepatic lymph nodes in goats infected with one or more doses of Fasciola hepatica

J Comp Pathol. 1999 Feb;120(2):199-210. doi: 10.1053/jcpa.1998.0271.

Abstract

Lesions produced by Fasciola hepatica in the liver, gall-bladder and hepatic lymph nodes (HLNs) of four groups of five goats are described; in addition, the distribution of CD3+ T lymphocytes and IgG-lambda light chain-bearing cells was analysed in the hepatic lesions and HLNs. One group of goats received a single oral dose of metacercariae, but the other four groups received four or five doses at different intervals over a period of 11 weeks. Animals that survived were killed 53-55 weeks after the first infective dose. Goats were more susceptible to multiple doses than to a single dose, even when the total number of metacercariae was the same. This greater susceptibility was manifested by the occurrence of deaths and the severity of hepatic lesions. CD3+ lymphocytes were sparse in the infiltrate surrounding the acute migratory tracts, suggesting inhibition of the local cell-mediated immune response. Goats with numerous hepatic calcareous granulomas showed the most severe hepatic damage, including marked cirrhosis, with a striking infiltrate of CD3+ T lymphocytes and lambda IgG- plasma cells, replacing extensive areas of hepatic parenchyma, in which hypertrophy of the smooth endoplasmic reticulum of hepatocytes was evident. These findings were observed mainly in the goats given more than one infective dose.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Fasciola hepatica / ultrastructure
  • Fascioliasis / pathology
  • Fascioliasis / veterinary*
  • Gallbladder / parasitology
  • Gallbladder / pathology
  • Goat Diseases / parasitology*
  • Goat Diseases / pathology
  • Goats
  • Liver / parasitology
  • Liver / pathology
  • Lymph Nodes / parasitology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • Time Factors