[Histopathology of Q rickettsiosis in sheep]

Examined was material taken from five sheep (ewes) and two weaned lambs having naturally contracted Qu rickettsiosis. Described are the clinical symptoms of the disease and the morphologic changes. The diseased animals showed rise in temperature (39.5--40.5 degrees C), loss of appetite, and depression. Some of the weaned lambs manifested slight cough and digestive troubles. Part of the animals showed nervous symptoms--tic movements of the head and limbs. Morphologically, the liver was edematired, of lower compactness, and the spleen was enlarged, the meninges being hyperemic and peppered with pinpointed hemorrhages. Histologically, a strong diffuse activation and proliferation of the liver capillary endothelium was established along with necrobiosis of the liver epithelial cells and a diffuse leukocyte infiltration. Established was also hyperplasia of the reticular cells and the lymph follicles of the spleen and the bronchial lymph nodes. The epithelial cells of the kidney tubules were involved in vacuolar dystrophy, and in the medular section there were fibroblastic proliferations with hyperemia. Inflammatory changes in the brain were also found.