A morphologic study of a mild form of ovine dermatosparaxis

A mild form of dermatosparaxis has recently been identified in sheep from several properties in central Victoria. Examination of the skin of affected animals by both transmission and scanning electron microscopy has shown that the structure of the majority of the collagen fibrils is irregular and the distorted fibrils do not pack into tight and well-ordered fiber bundles. Examination of the skin by light microscopy has shown that the fiber bundles are not compact and interwoven, and that there is a tendency for the collagen to form layered sheets in the reticular dermis. These studies also show that there is no buildup in the elastic tissue component, but that there is an increased population of fibroblasts in the affected animals.