PATHOLOGY OF SARCOCYSTIS INFECTION IN NATURALLY INFECTED CATTLE, BUFFALOS, SHEEP AND GOATS

Recent studies by Dubey (1976, 1981 and 1982), Fayer (1976) and Stalheim et al (1980) established that Sarcocystis causes pyrexia, anaemia, ataxia, abortion, reduced milk production, wool breakage, weight loss, lameness, retarded growth and even death in cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats, both in natural and experimental infection. The pathogenesis of Sarcocystis is dependent upon the dose, species of parasite, age, nutritional status and susceptibility of the host (Dubey and Fayer, 1983). The present paper deals with the pathology of Sarcocystis infection in cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats, naturally infected with S. cruzi, S. fusiformis, S. ovicanis and S. capracanis respectively.