NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
SCHISTOSOMA INDICUM, MONTGOMERY, IN EQUINES
27
Fig. 3.—Low power microphotograph of a portion of diseased lung showing nodules both
discrete and coalesced in various stages of formation.
Fig. 4.—Microphotograph of a few S. indicum ova in a coverslip preparation from the faeces of
a bull.
Plate III.
Fig. 1.—Microphotograph of a section of liver, showing an organised nodule, the
concentric rings of connective tissue of which have undergone partial hyalinisation. The
spined ovum shows the embryonal cells within the sharply margined eggshell and is lying
free in a cavity.
Fig. 2.—Microphotograph of a very early nodule, showing the commencing arrangement of
fibrils of connective tissue around a free lying spined ovum. There are fewer cells in the
area enclosed by the fibrils and a very dense accumulation of eosinophile cells is noticed
immediately outside the few fibrillar rings.
Fig. 3.—Microphotograph of an organising nodule, around an ovum, the enclosed cells and
their nucleus being hazier. The ovum is seen lying in an irregular area of eosinophile
degeneration lymph containing broken down nuclear debris. Strings of eosinophile cells
are seen arranged on the top left hand of the field, being kept in position by the circular
fibrils.
Fig. 4.—Microphotograph of section of liver showing how the nodular lesions are mainly res-
tricted to the portal tract, the lobular cells' being singularly healthy. Hepatic vein is seen
to form the nucleus for the lesion.
Plate IV. Fig. 1.—Microphotograph of a completely organised nodule, showing deposition of
calcium salts in concentric rings. Although the concentric fibres are completely
hyalinised and considerable calcification has taken place, the crumpled eggshell still persists
with the spine.
Fig. 2. —Microphotograph illustrating the preservation of the typical form of a spined egg
notwithstanding calcification and giant cell activity.
Fig. 3.—Microphotograph of an early nodules showing a radiating arrangement of reaction
cells, with the broader nuclear portion directed towards the periphery. In the centre
is an ovum slightly out of focus.
Fig. 4.—Microphotograph of an active lesion in the liver showing three sections of what is
apparently a female worm.
Plate V. Fig. 1.—Microphotograph—Section of intestine shows an abscess on the mucosa,
degeneration of the muscularis mucosa and the active lesion in the submucosa. The mucosal
lesion is about to be shed.
Fig 2.—Microphotograph showing a cluster of seven eggs forming the nucleus of an intestinal
lesion.
Fig. 3. —Microphotograph of nodules in different stages in the subserosa.
Fig. 4.—Microphotograph showing the distribution of four lesions situated in the connective
tissue strands in between the longitudinal layers of the muscular coat of the intestine.
Plate VI. Fig. 1.—Microphotograph—Extremely dilated capillary is seen passing from the
submucosa to the mucosa, separating widely portions of the muscularis mucosa.
Fig. 2. -Microphotograph- A thumb-like process formed by bloated endothelium of a vessel can
be seen containing a heavy accumulation of eosinophile cells.
28 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ III, I
Fig. 3.—Microphotograph of a nodule, after irritant ovum, calcification etc., have been removed.
Note the absence of capsule and developing columns of liver cells in the lighter stained
centre
Fig. 4.—Microphotograph of the developing columns (shown in Fig. 3 above). Note the beauti-
fully arranged columns of the specific cells with distinct nuclei, the arrangement being
around young endothelial vessels. A comparison of this picture of a regenerating nodule
with the different stages of degeneration shown in Plates III and IV will show readily
the differential characters.
PLATE VII.
FIG. 1.
Sections of ova showing the contained miracidia. Note the
shape of the ovum in longitudinal section.
FIG. 2.
Cross section of an ovum showing " Actino " body and the
radial arrangement of cells to form a sleeve.
FIG. 3.
Longitudinal section of ovum showing " rays " of " Actino "
body into the plasmodial mass.
FIG. 4.
Longitudinal section of ovum showing giant cell formation.
Note the clearing of " Actino " body by phagocytes.
BOVINE NASAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS IN THE MADRAS
PRESIDENCY WITH A DESCRIPTION OF THE PARASITE
BY
M. ANANT NARAYAN RAO,
Lecturer in Parasitology, Madras Veterinary College.
(Received for publication on 7th November 1932.)
(With Plates VII—IX and two text-figures.)
INTRODUCTION.
There exist two diseases which affect the nose of cattle in this Presidency and
both cause a granulomatous condition of the anterior nares in bovines. One has
been proved to be due to a rhinosporidium by Krishnamurti Ayyar [ 1927 ] and
another is caused by a schistosome, the etiology of which has been recently de-
scribed by Datta [ 1932 ]. Both the diseases are commonly known as " Nasal
Granuloma " and this expression therefore raises an ambiguity. To make matters
clear it is proposed to call the granulomatous condition of the nose caused by
Schistosomes as Nasal Schistosomiasis. This nomenclature of the disease at once
gives an idea of the cause of the disease, hence this paper is written under that
caption.
During the college vacation in April 1932, the author held additional charge
of the Department of Pathology and Bacteriology and it was then the presence of
sections of schistosomes and their ova were noted in the sections of nasal growths
sent for examination and report. Later, nasal washings were obtained in 3 or 4
per cent. solution of caustic potash. Hitherto out of 122 specimens examined, 104
have proved positive for ova of schistosomes. In addition to these the author
has examined fresh nasal washings from over 72 cases in the villages he visited,
all of which proved positive for ova. Over 45 growths, from different animals,
have been sectioned and examined hitherto, and all of them were found to contain
either ova, or worms or both.
It was found that a large amount of material came from Tiruvannamalai in
North Arcot District, and in the month of June the author undertook a holiday
trip to the place and, through the help of the local Veterinary Assistant Surgeon,
fresh nasal washings of over 20 cases were examined and all contained ova, most
of which showed live miracidia in them. All these cases came from Nammiandal,
( 29 )
30 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ III, I
an adjoining village, which was also visited. In this village over 62 cases were
seen consisting mostly of cows, bullocks and about a dozen calves between one
and two years of age. The history of the introduction of this disease in Nammian¬
dal is very interesting. One man purchased an animal having this disease about
the middle of 1930 and brought it to the village, and in the course of about 18
months over 62 animals contracted the disease. The nasal washings of those
animals also showed ova of schistosomes. From the cases that were brought to
the Veterinary Hospital at Tiruvannamalai and from those in Nammiandal, large
pieces of growths were removed for examination and these were found to contain
schistosomes.
During Michaelmas holidays in September last, the author again visited
Nammiandal village to collect material for work and he was shown a sheep having
nasal schistosomiasis. The villagers said that occasionally sheep also get the
disease. It was then learnt that nasal schistosomiasis existed in an endemic form
in Bandarlapalli and Kothakota villages in Chittoor District. On 30th September
1932 both the villages were visited and a large number of cattle was found to be
infected. It is interesting to note that in Kothakota the people hold a belief that
cattle contracted the disease if they drank water from a nullah close by, which
happens to be one frequented by cattle and through which they have to wade
while they are driven out to graze or brought back to the village. Among the
positive cases examined at Bandarlapalli, one happened to be a buffalo with
typical lesions. The history of this case showed that it has had the disease for
the past six months. The villagers said that there were some more infected
buffaloes in the neighbourhood. This is of particular interest inasmuch as no
buffalo has been known to be affected with this disease, and an opportunity has now
arisen to put on record the finding of a buffalo and a sheep with a natural attack
of this disease. With this in view, it is perhaps premature to say. at the present
time, what kind of animals possess a true species immunity against this schisto-
some. Another interesting point is that the buffalo mentioned above showed ova
of S. Spindalis in its faeces and Fairley and Mackie [1926] believe that the buffalo
is the definitive host for this parasite.
SYMPTOMS OBSERVED.
These have been fully described by other workers and only a few words will be
said here about them. The first noticeable symptom is sneezing, which becomes
more pronounced while at work later. There is a fairly thick mucus discharge
from the nose when the lesions are few and small, and as the sessile granulations
get enlarged and abundant, the discharge becomes mucopurulent, often tinged with
BOVINE NASAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS
31
blood. The enlargement of the growths is accompanied by a snoring noise
during respiration.
ETIOLOGY.
Datta [1932] has shown that these granulations are due to schistosomes and
their ova and the author's findings are in agreement.
PERIOD OF INCUBATION AND THE SEASON WHEN FIRST SYMPTOMS APPEAR.
Hitherto only Oxspring [1931] has opined that it may take one year before
recognisable lesions can be detected in nostrils of cattle. From the history of
cases in Nammiandal village it would appear that the period of incubation is about
three months and the first symptoms, in fresh cases, appear during the cold season
of the year, viz., November to March. Oxspring's seven cases, in the Government
Military Dairy Farm at Jabbalpore, occurred in January 1930, and by April he
found no less than 45 animals affected. If this is of any significance it would
appear to correspond with the seasonal incidence of Schistosome cercariæ.
Manson-Bahr and Fairley [1920], Sewell [1922], and Fairley and Jesudasan
[1930] have shown definitely that the infective rates of Schistosome cercariæ is
highest in the cooler months of the year, viz., November to March. Rao [1932]
has also observed a similar seasonal variation of Schistosome cercariæ in the
Spur Tank, Egmore, Madras.
Mr. K. Ranganatha Rao, Assistant Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, Bangalore, in a private communication says that he recently saw two villages
in Bangalore District where animals imported into these villages developed the
disease in about two months or so.
Lesions.—These have been described by workers and it is enough to say
that these masses of growths are studded over with tiny surface nodules
each containing a small abscess. If one of these tiny abscesses is opened and the
pus examined under microscope, one or more ova are found in it and on some of
these ova an yellowish substance, of varying thickness, with or without projec-
tions on it, is found attached to a portion of the shell. This substance stains pink
with eosin and Datta [1932] calls it an " Actino body " which expression is here
adopted. From the history of cases, and their examination in the above said
villages it seems that the first appearance of these granulations is not necessarily
restricted to any particular region in the anterior nares. These sessile vascular
growths can be compared to Bilharzial Papillomata and seem to be caused by the
pressure exerted by the cellular increase under the Schniderian membrane.
C
PLATE VIII.
FIG.1.
Ovum in a tiny abcess. Note the fully developed miracidium.
Note the giant cell at a distance.
FIG. 2.
Ovum in abcess near the periphery of growth. The internal
structure of the miracidium is seen.
FIG. 3.
Section showing an abcess open on nasal mucus membrane. Note
the " Actino " body on the ovum in the pus.
FIG. 4.
Section showing a nest of ova in an abcess that has burst open.
Note the ova do not show " Actino " bodies. Note
the shape of the almost full ovum.
BOVINE NASAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS
33
where fibrosis is a marked feature. These growths, evidently, are older compara-
tively than those not showing such nodules. In this disease the succession of
events in the formation of a bilharzial pseudo-tubercle, and the migration of the
contained ovum in an abscess, to the free surface, can be conveniently divided into
four stages for study, and an attempt is made to describe each stage in what
follows.
A recently laid ovum attracts large mono-nuclear cells perhaps endothelial in
origin, small round cells partly from the tissues evidently, and Eosinophiles. A
few which appear to be polymorphonuclear leucocytes are also present. The
large mono-nuclear cells close up on the ovum and in so doing they become
elongated and arrange themselves radially round the shell of the ovum (PL. VII,
fig. 2). The nucleus of this type of cell is oval and vesicular in structure. At the
same time the miracidium is developing or has developed to a considerable extent.
(PL. VII, figs. 1, 2, 3 and PL. VIII, fig. 1). This may be called the first stage.
These cells now coalesce partly or completely to form a sleeve of plasmodial
mass round the ovum and the nuclei of the cells appear to have receded from the
vicinity of the shell towards the periphery. At this time the absorption of the
toxic substance thrown out by the miracidium causes degeneration in that portion of
the plasmodial mass of cells that is in immediate contact with the shell of the ovum.
This degeneration, in most cases, is not of uniform thickness, and depends upon
the range of penetration of the toxic substance, causing rays of " streamers " of
degenerated substance in the plasmodial mass giving the whole egg a morular
appearance. These processes or " streamers " have either blunt ends or fine
fibrillar ends. (PL. VII, figs 3 and 4), At the same time the affected portions of the
plasmodial mass seem to retract with the contained nuclei and appear as "giant
cells ". Pembrey and Ritchie [1913] say that majority of the giant cells are
Plasmodia which arise by the fusion of many mono-nuclear cells, comparable to the
Plasmodia found in lower animals around foreign bodies. The giant cells described
above appear to form in that way. In PL. VII, figs. 2, 3, 4, and PL. VIII, fig. 1
such giant cells are in evidence. This may be called the second stage.
An interesting feature in this stage is the degenerated plasmodial substance, or
the " actino " body as designated by Datta [1932], which stains uniformly pink
with eosin.
This " actino " body round about the ovum may act, perhaps imperfectly, as a
protection against the out-flow of the toxic substance, from the miracidium, into the
surrounding tissue. In any case, a large number of small mono-nuclears, poly¬
morpho-nuclears and eosinophiles is attracted to the place and these get between
the " actino " body and the so-called foreign body giant cells, in between the
C 2
34 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ III, I
streamers of the " actino " bodies and the destruction of this substance begins.
These phagocytes ultimately destroy the so-called " actino " bodies with their
" clubs " and " rays " almost to the egg shell and the proteolytic ferments present
there bring about the formation of an abscess round the egg. In PL. VII, figs. 3 and 4
this destruction is visible particularly at the end of the ova. In PL. VIII, figs. 1
and 2 the phagocytes have cleared the whole of the " actino " body almost
to the shell and the ova are enclosed in a little purulent matter. Some of the
mono-nuclear cells are fibroblastic in nature. This may be called the third stage.
Now the ovum is in a small abscess and the development of the abscess brings
about tissue tension which helps it in burrowing through, towards a place of least
resistance and ultimately it comes up to the surface and bursts open (PL. VIII,
figs. 3 and 4). The ovum now escapes with the pus and it may sometimes have a
little of the " actino body " still sticking on. In PL. VIII, fig. 3 this substance is
in evidence on the ovum, and in PL. VIII, fig. 4 it is not seen. In PL. IX, fig. 2
there are many small abscesses, each showing an ovum in its centre, and below there
is plenty of granulation tissue due to the reparative process in the wake of these
abscesses. This can be called the fourth stage.
DESCRIPTION OF THE WORMS.
Pieces of growths obtained from cases at Tiruvannamalai and at Nammiandal
were dissected fresh in Ringer's solution. One entire male, one pair of adult worms
in copula and some pieces of mature males and ovigerous females were collected
from these and some from the growths received from other places. The description
is based on the material thus collected, and the measurements given are of worms
fixed in 70 per cent. alcohol.
MALE WORM.
The length of a full adult male worm is about 7.2 mm. The length of worms
reconstructed from pieces varied from 6.5 mm. to 7 mm. This parasite appears
to be smaller than most of the schistosomes found in cattle in India. It is creamy
white in colour. The cuticle is tuberculated on the dorsal surface from behind the
ventral sucker to the posterior end. The tubercles bear spines and they are
arranged in irregular longitudinal rows 18 or 20 in number. Those tubercles nearer
the gynecophoral canal are smaller than those on the mid-dorsal line. The cuticle
of the oral and ventral sucker is lined with fine spines and also the whole surface
and margins of the gynecophoral canal. The ventral sucker is a fairly large pro¬
trusible organ and is infundibular in form with its margin more or less wavy. It
has a diameter of 0.12 mm. The alimentary system consists of an oral sucker and
PLATE IX.
FIG. 1.
Note sections of worms in blood vessels; a few blood clots
are seen in the blood vessels. Note the mucus
glands near the worms.
FIG. 2.
Section showing abcess containing ova. Note the fibrous tissue
formation.
(Low magnification.)
FIG. 3.
Ovum of S. spindalis Mongomerry 1906, in fæces.
(Scale marked.)
FIG. 4.
Ovum of Schistosome in nasal washings. (Scale marked.)
MALE
Text fig.1.
Schistosome from Nasal Granuloma.
FEMALE
Text-fig. 2. Schistosome from Nasal Granuloma.
BOVINE NASAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS
35
paired intestines with a common caecum. The oral sucker is subterminal, bowl
shaped and has a diameter of 0.1 mm. It opens into an œsophagus which is fairly
wide and posteriorly it bifurcates in front of the ventral sucker into two intestinal
caeca. These intestinal caeca are wavy and run parallel to each other and unite a
little behind the middle of the parasite to form the common caecum. The posterior
end is truncated.
THE EXCRETORY AND THE GENITAL SYSTEM.
In the posterior end there is an elongated flask shaped excretory vesicle which
opens ventrally on the extremity. The genital system consists of testicular sacs
two, three or four in number, one placed behind the other, in the mid-dorsal line,
behind the ventral sucker. Each one is pyriform in shape and all of them are not
of the same size. There is a small refractile seminal vesicle in front of the testes
and this is best seen in fresh worms.
FEMALE WORMS.
The length of one full adult female is about 7 mm. The measurements of
worms constructed from pieces varied from 5 mm. to 7.5 mm. The female appeared
to be darker in colour than the male. The anterior extremity is fine and the worm
gradually thickens caudad and then narrows again to some extent at the tail. The
cuticle is smooth. The oral sucker is subterminal and is small in size. The ventral
sucker is also small and is situated 0.24 mm. behind the oral sucker. The cuticle
of both the suckers has a lining of fine spines. A little behind the ventral sucker is
the vulva.
THE ALIMENTARY SYSTEM.
The oral sucker opens into the œsophagus which bifurcates just in front. of the
ventral sucker. The two intestinal caeca run backwards and unite just behind the
ovary, to form a common caecum which is blind. The common caecum runs almost
to the end of the worm. The ratio between the length of the paired intestines and
that of the common caecum is found to be 3 : 1.
THE GENITAL SYSTEM.
The ovary which is an elogated body, measuring 0.12 mm., is placed at the be-
ginning of the posterior third of the worm. The uterus seems to form a loop
posterior to the ovary and turning round it runs forward between the intestinal
caeca and opens at the vulva. The uterus seems to contain only 4 or 5 eggs at a time,
Just in front of the ovary is a small, more or less rounded body which is the shell
gland. The vitellaria consist of small linear follicles arranged in the area round
36 THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY [ III, I
about the common caecum. The follicles terminate some little distance in front of
the posterior extremity.
The ova are boomerang shaped, one side being convex and the other concave.
The fresh ova measured 380 μ to 420 μ × 50 to 55 μ. The shell is thin. On the
end of one of the narrow horns of the ovum is a small spine, 12 to 15 μ in length
and is usually slightly bent towards the concave side of the ovum. No variation
in the shape of the ova has been observed.
DISCUSSION.
From the description of the parasites it will be seen that these worms are small
and also possess a similarity in the relative lengths of the males and females to
those of S. bomfordi Montgomery, 1906, but the difference is in the number of
testes in the male, the former has not more than four and the latter possesses sixty.
Again the female S. bomfordi has its ovary in its anterior third, consequently the
common caecum is the longest as compared with those in other species found in
cattle in India, whereas in the female parasite in question the ovary is in its
posterior third, consequently the common caecum is the shortest comparatively.
The situation of the ovary in S. bovis, S. indicum and S. spindalis, is near the
middle.
Spindle shaped ova are laid by S. bovis, S. spindalis and the parasites found
in the nasal lesions of cattle. All these eggs have a terminal spine and the shape
in each is different and appears to be characteristic to each species. The ovum
of S. bovis is small and it has a bulge right round the middle and has two short
narrow horns, one of which has a terminal spine. The ovum of S. spindalis has
two long narrow horns, one of which bears a terminal spine, while one side of the
egg is straight or flat and the other side has a prominent bulge on it. The ovum
of the worms in question also bears two long narrow horns, one of which has a
terminal spine and one side is concave and the other convex giving it the character
istic boomerang shape. A photo micrograph of an ovum of S. spindalis Montgomery,
1906, from fæces of a buffalo and another of the ovum of the parasite in question
in the nasal washings from the same buffalo, is appended for comparison. The
photographs are of the same scale of magnification.
The parasites obtained from the nasal lesions of cattle appear to differ from
other Schistosomes found in cattle in India in the following points.
1. The cuticular tubercles on the male appear to be more prominent than
those in other species.
2. The tail end of the male is truncated, whereas in S. spindalis it bears a
conical projection.