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Title: ULTRASTRUCTURE OF BESNOITIA BESNOITI TISSUE CYSTS AND BRADYZOITES

Author
item Dubey, Jitender
item SHKAP, V - KIMRON VET. INST.
item PIPANO, E - KIMRON VET. INST.
item FRITZ, D - USAMRIID

Submitted to: Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2003
Publication Date: 5/20/2003
Citation: Dubey, J.P., Shkap, V., Pipano, E., Fritz, D.L. 2003. Ultrastructure of Besnoitia besnoiti tissue cysts and bradyzoites. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 50:240-244.

Interpretive Summary: Besnoitia besnoiti is a single celled parasite that causes mortality in cattle. Its source of infection remains unknown. Scientists at the Beltsville Agricultual Research Center describe structure of this parasite in detail to help diagnose the disease. These results will be of interest to biologists, parasitologists and pathologists.

Technical Abstract: Besnoitia besnoiti is an economically important tissue cyst-forming apicomplexan of cattle in Africa and Israel. Tissue cysts and bradyzoites of B. besnoiti from the skin of a naturally-infected bull were studied by transmission electron microscopy. Tissue cysts enclosed host cell and bradyzoites. Bradyzoites were 6 -- 7.5 x 1.9 -- 2.3 µm in size and contained organelles found in coccidian merozoites including numerous micronemes, rhoptries, amylopectin granules, and a posteriorly located nucleus. Enigmatic bodies, characteristically found in Besnoitia sp. bradyzoites, were not observed. Therefore, enigmatic bodies should be removed as a generic character of the bradyzoites of Besnoitia species. Key Words. Cattle, ultrastructure, enigmatic bodies.