Experimental cholecystitis in goats caused by mature Fasciola gigantica

Mature Fasciola gigantica obtained from naturally infected cattle were surgically transferred into the gallbladders of six fluke-free goats. Two of the goats died at two and 19 weeks and the remaining four were slaughtered at 12, 48, 48 and 80 weeks after the transfer. Nine of 20 transferred F gigantica were recovered from the gallbladder and common hepatic duct of the experimental goats. The walls of gallbladders and bile ducts were thickened by epithelial proliferation, fibrosis and mononuclear cell infiltration. Large numbers of globule leucocytes were present in the epithelium of gallbladders and common hepatic ducts as well as in minute intrahepatic bile ducts. Very few mast cells were observed in these locations. Globule leucocytes in two goats were positive for argentaffin reaction with Gomori hexamine silver stain. The proliferative cholecystitis in experimental goats was similar to adenomatous cholecystitis in cattle naturally infected with fascioliasis. Globule leucocytes had no obvious deleterious effects on the parasites.