HEPATIC AND RENAL ULTRASTRUCTURAL LESIONS IN EXPERIMENTAL CLOSTRIDIUM-PERFRINGENS TYPE-A ENTEROTOXEMIA IN CHICKENS

Hepatic and renal electron microscopic investigations were carried out in 10 chickens that had experimental intraduodenal infection with Clo stridium perfringens Type A. Fourteen days postinfection, there were u ltrastructural changes in hepatocytes and renal tubular epithelial cel ls; these included mitochondrial lesions (swelling, cristolysis, raref ication of the matrix, myelin figures), glycogen loss, and capillary e ndothelial cell swelling in both organs, as well as thickening of glom erular basement membrane. The findings are discussed with particular r eference to the pathogenesis of Clostridium perfringens Type A enterot oxemia.