Natural infection with schistosomes of the Schistosoma haematobium group in a dog in Zambia

Post-mortem examination of an adult male Jack Russell dog from Zambia revea led that it was heavily infected with schistosomes. The dog had been admitt ed, with a history of retching, 4 days before its death. At necropsy, the l iver was found to be enlarged, with multiple pin-point yellowish-white foci scattered diffusely throughout the organ. Multiple pin-point recent and ol d haemorrhages were seen on the mucosal surface of the gastrointestinal tra ct, particularly in the stomach and proximal duodenum. Large numbers of sch istosome worm pairs and eggs were found in all mesenteric, gastric and hepa tic veins. Histological examination of the intestines, mesenteric lymph nod es, liver, spleen, pancreas, stomach and lungs revealed numerous strongly f ibrotic, encapsulated, epithelioid-giant cell granulomata containing dead, degenerating and viable eggs. A few examples of the Splendore-Hoeppli pheno menon were also detected. The eggs collected at necropsy had a terminal spi ne and an average length and breadth of 187.6 +/- 14.1 mu m and 57.3 +/- 4. 1 mu m, respectively. DNA analysis of female worms indicated that the schis tosomes were either Schistosoma haematobium or a hybrid of Schistosoma matt heei and S. haematobium. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.