Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Besnoitiosis in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the South African Veterinary Association
- Year:
- 1993
- Authors:
- van Heerden, J et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery
Plain-English summary
A pony was diagnosed with besnoitiosis, a parasitic infection. The pony showed signs of trouble breathing, thickened skin, and swelling in the belly. Doctors found many cysts in the pony's eyes and confirmed their presence in the skin through a tissue examination. They tried to see if the infection could spread by injecting infected skin into other animals, but it did not work. The findings suggest that the infection was caused by a specific type of parasite called B. bennetti.
Abstract
Besnoitiosis was confirmed in a pony which presented with inspiratory dyspnoea, scleroderma and ventral oedema. Numerous cysts were visible in the sclerae. Histological examination of the skin confirmed the presence of numerous cysts. The parasite could not be transmitted by subcutaneous injection of homogenised skin from the infected horse to rabbits and a horse. Ultrastructural morphology of the crescent-shaped bradyzoites was not compatable with Besnoitia besnoiti or B. jellisoni and it is proposed that the infection was caused by B. bennetti.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8410950/