Polish Journal of Natural Sciences

An evaluation of lesions in the livers of Black and White cattle, aged 4 to 7, naturally infested with Fasciola hepatica was performed. The studies included a comprehensive analysis of histological lesions and liver enzyme activities determined with histochemical methods depending on the degree of natural Fasciola hepatica infestation. The studies revealed increased number of reticular fibres, an increase of acid phosphatase (ACP) activity, a reduced activity of succinic acid dehydrogenase (SDH) and a decrease in the content of glycogen in the hepatocytes. The damage of the hepatocytes was potentiated together with increasing severity of fluke infestation, which caused mononuclear cell and eosinophilic granulocyte infiltrates, abscess formation and connective tissue proliferation. The presented lesions in liver were determined by duration of the pathogenic effects of flukes infestation, the number of fluke parasites and the age of the animals. BADANIE PATOMORFOLOGICZNE WĄTRÓB BYDŁA W PRZEBIEGU NATURALNEJ INWAZJI FASCIOLA HEPATICA (L.) Mirosław M. Michalski1, Michał Gesek2 1 Katedra Parazytologii i Chorób Inwazyjnych 2 Katedra Anatomii Patologicznej, Wydział Medycyny Weterynaryjnej Uniwersytet Warmińsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie S ł o w a k l u c z o w e: Fasciola hepatica, krowy, wątroba, patomorfologia, ACP, SDH. Address: Mirosław M. Michalski, Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, ul. M. Oczapowskiego 13, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland, e-mail: [email protected]