SEQUENTIAL PATHOLOGICAL-STUDIES IN THE UDDER OF GOATS INTRAMAMMARILY INFECTED WITH ASPERGILLUS-FUMIGATUS

Intramammary inoculation of goats with Aspergillus fumigatus spores re sulted in the development of mastitis with characteristic gross and mi croscopic lesions. The mastitis and the lesions were restricted to the infected udder halves only and there was no dissemination of infectio n to other tissues of the body. The experiment was continued for 45 da ys. Gross changes in the infected udder were observed up to the 45th d ay post-infection. The lesions, in general, included variable sized ab scesses in the first 15 days followed by development of varying sized greyish-white nodules in the infected udders. Microscopic changes cons isted of granulomatous reaction with well developed granulomas in the infected udders. Hyphae and spores of Aspergillus fumigatus could be d emonstrated in sections of the infected udders up to 45 days after inf ection. Reisolation of the fungus consistently was achieved up to 45 d ays. It is concluded that intramammary inoculation of Aspergillus fumi gatus spores in goats leads to chronic granulomatous mastitis.