COENUROSIS OF SHEEP IN SERBIA - CASE REPORT

Abstract

Coenurosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval forms of Taenia multiceps which are great host's animals from the family of canids. The disease is global distribution but is most present in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Central Africa and Australia. Larvae exhibit tropism toward brain tissue, and cysts are usually located in the left hemisphere of the brain of small ruminants. Involvement of the brain can cause increased intracranial pressure, seizures, loss of consciousness, and focal neurologic deficits. During 2022 we examinee one flocks of 78 milking sheep reared on hilly pastures located below the Zmajevac hill (397 m), between the branches of the Osimćki mountains and the river Zapadna Morava, at an altitude of 178 m. Symptoms of ataxia, such as unsteady gait and stumbling, and depression were observed in 12 animals. In 5 sheep, continuous aimless or circular movement, wandering, was also manifested. In addition to these symptoms, in one sheep that died, visual disturbances were observed depression and unilateral blindness. All affected sheep were slaughtered and a pathoanatomical examination was performed. In the brain of all animals we revealed the presence of infestation with one to four coenuri 4.1-5.5 cm in size. The sites of predilection were the left hemisphere (48%), followed by the right hemisphere (40%) and the cerebellum (12%). The coenurus has a thin wall surrounding a single cavity that contains a clear fluid. When the cysts were opened, numerous scoleces were found inside, from 2 to 3 mm in diameter attached to the cyst wall. Each scolex has four circular suckers and two rows of hooks on a rostellum. The hook lengths are 147 to 165 µm and 87 to 125 µm.The results show that C. cerebralis was a major cause of the nervous manifestations of coenurosis in clinically affected sheep.