Besnoitiosis and Globidiosis

Abstract

Bovine besnoitiosis, previously known as globidiosis, is a disease which is fairly widespread in Africa but not limited to that continent in its distribution. It is caused by the protozoan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti of which cattle are the intermediate and felids the final hosts. Clinically affected animals pass through an acute, febrile, anasarca stage and a chronic scleroderma stage of the disease. The mortality rate is low but affected animals suffer a severe loss of productivity and bulls are frequently rendered permanently infertile. Clinically inapparent cases are common. A significant aspect of the pathogenesis of the disease is the destruction of endothelial cells by the proliferating obligate intracellular endozoites. The large, thick-walled cysts are pathognomonic. Recovered animals are immune to reinfection. In some countries cattle are immunized by inoculation with a live vaccine consisting of a blue wildebeest (antelope) strain of B. besnoiti grown in cell culture.