EXPERIMENTAL CRYPTOCOCCAL MASTITIS IN GOATS - HISTOCHEMICAL-STUDIES

The histochemical changes in udder were studied in 4 lactating goats. The right udder halves were inoculated through the leat canal with 2 m i of Cryptococcus neoformans culture containing 1 x 10(6) yeast cells/ ml, and left udder halves were kept as control. All infected goats dev eloped acute mastitis in their right infected udder halves, which subs equently became chronic, characterised by marked decrease in the size and secretions of infected udder halves till the end of the experiment i.e. 30th day post-inoculation (DPI). Histopathological examination r evealed severe, chronic granulomatous mastitis with extensive fibrosis only in the infected udder halves. The histochemical studies showed a n increase in the levels of lipids, alkaline phosphatase and acid phos phatase but a marked loss in the levels of adenosine triphosphatase, s uccinic dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase in the glandular paren chyma of the infected udder halves indicating severe damage to the mil k producing cells.