Morphology of Cysticercus bovis and associated tissue reaction in the bovine heart

ABSTRACT

Bovine hearts naturally infected with Cysticercus bovis were collected from cattle slaughtered in Assiut abattoir. The morphology of cysticerci was studied in series of histological sections, which were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The bladder wall has external hair-like processes in contact with the host tissue, which have an absorptive function. This wall represents a proliferative area giving rise to a wavy spiral canal; at its end the invaginated scolex and suckers are located. The tissue reaction was more marked at the site facing the opening of the spiral canal on the surface of the bladder. The reaction of the heart to C bovis was inflammatory in nature, leading to the formation of a wide inflammatory rim with infiltrating cellular elements. The cardiac muscles revealed granulomatous lesions with a large area of inflammatory reactions in which the cardiac muscle was destroyed. Cysticercosis must be taken into consideration in differential diagnosis of inflammatory cardiac diseases