Ante mortem Studies on Natural Caprine Besnoitiosis

Abstract

Examination of 30 goats from Buchuma in Coast Province of Kenya, naturally infected with Besnoitia caprae, revealed that the acute disease was characterized with marked fever, dullness, anorexia, and oedema of the skin (anarsaca). In addition bucks had swollen painful testis. The chronic disease was characterized with alopecia, hyperkeratosis mainly of the face, carpus, hock and brisket. Eighty three percent of the goats in poor body condition had 100 or more cysts per eye. Those in fair and good body condition easily succumbed to pneumonia. This indicates that the number of cysts in the eye of chronically infected goats could be used as prognostic tool. Rhicephalus eversti and Amblyomma variegetum ticks were observed in all goats with besnoitiosis making them possible vectors of transmission.

The Kenya Veterinarian Vol. 27 2004: pp. 22-23