AN ERRATIC PARASITISM FOUND IN THE LUNGS OF SHEEP DURING EXPERIMENTAL-INFECTION WITH FASCIOLA-GIGANTICA (JAPANESE STRAIN)

An erratic parasitism was observed in the lungs of sheep experimentall y infected with Fasciola gigantica at autopsy 14 weeks after inoculati on. Macroscopically, several hyperaemia of 7.5-12.5 mm in diameter wer e found on the surface of the lungs. Juvenile flukes detected in the l ungs were much smaller than those in the liver of the same sheep. A sl ight inflammatory reaction was observed in the lungs and it is likely that the flukes had migrated in the pleural cavity for some time. Occa sionally, a mixed thrombus with many eosinophils was found in the bloo d vessels adjacent to the bronchia, although no cough was observed cli nically. This suggests that diagnosis of juvenile fluke is difficult n ot only by parasitological but also serological methods.