Bull Vet Inst Pulawy 49, 29-33, 2005
INCIDENCE AND CLINICAL ASPECTS OF COLON CILIATE
BUXTONELLA SULCATA INFECTION IN CATTLE
KRZYSZTOF TOMCZUK, ŁUKASZ KUREK, ADAM STEC,
MARIA STUDZIŃSKA AND JACEK MOCHOL
Institute of Infectious and Invasive Diseases,
Sub-department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases,
Department and Clinic of Animal Internal Diseases,
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural University, 20-612 Lublin, Poland
e-mail: [email protected]
Received for publication August 09, 2004.
Abstract
The objective of the studies was to determine the
intensity of invasion of Buxtonella sulcata ciliates in the colon
of ruminants and the probability of its effect on the incidence
of periodical recurrent diarrhoea of undetermined etiology in
dairy cattle. The studies were carried out in two stages at 19
farms in the Lublin region. They covered 122 cows, Lowland
Black-and-White and HF breeds as well as their hybrids. The
studies revealed significant common incidence of this
protozoon. Also, the increasing frequency of diarrhoea
incidence proportional to the increasing intensity of infection
was noticed. With the intensity exceeding 1 000 cysts per 1 g
of faeces, diarrhoea was found in almost 90% of the examined
animals, and with intensity exeeding 2 000 – in all the cows.
Key words: cattle, Buxtonella sulcata,
diarrhoea.
Protozoa occurring in the digestive system of
ruminants are most frequently associated with digestive
processes taking place in the rumen. Also the colon is
often inhabited by protozoa of the Ciliophora type,
whose original role has not been fully explained. They
are most often considered to be commensals
participating in digesting plant feed, which could be
confirmed by their common incidence (2, 3, 5, 6). Their
vegetative forms living in ruminants’ colon are
asymmetric and oval, they reach the size of 60 – 138 x
46 – 100 µm. The surface of the ciliates’ cells is evenly
covered with short, thick cilia. In the centre there is a
reniform nucleus with a nucleolus in its hilus. A
characteristic deep syncystoma is situated at the anterior
pole. Numerous alimentary vacuoles are visible in the
cytoplasm. Ciliates reproduce by binary fission. They
are similar to Balantidium coli found in the swine and
man. Some authors include them into the same genus,
however, more often they are described as Buxtonella
sulcata (Jameson 1926) (Kingdom: Protozoa, Phylum:
Ciliphora, Class: Kinetofragminophorea, Order:
Trichostromatidae, Family: Pyenotrichidae, Genus:
Buxtonella). Outside the organism they assume the form
of a cyst. It is an endosporic form, but also invasive.
Covered by a two-layer capsule, regular round or else
slightly oval, it reaches 52–131 µm in diameter. Its size
changes; 3 d after excreting it is only 2/3 of its initial
size (6). Infection follows consuming cysts with fodder
or drinking water. Trophozoites are released from cysts
in the end part of the small intestine or colon.
In some publications, the mentioned above
ciliates are described as parasites (4, 7, 13). It is
supposed that the increased invasion of the protozoon
may result in the acceleration of the passage of
alimentary contents in the digestive tract of dairy cows,
thus causing clinical disorders such as diarrhoea or poor
condition of animals.
Material and Methods
The studies were conducted in two stages on
dairy 122 cows of Lowland Black-and-White and HF
breed, as well as on their hybrids from 19 farms of the
Lublin region.
The first stage of the studies dealt with the
identification of causative agent of unknown etiology
diarrhoea occurring in a herd of dairy cows. The clinical
symptoms with high intensity were observed in 6 cows
purchased abroad. During several weeks, the animals
showing recurring diarrhoea underwent various kinds of
therapy, also using antibiotics. This type of treatment
was ineffective and in some animals the aggravation of
the disease was noted. This inclined the owner of the
cows to seek assistance at the Clinic of Animal Internal
Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,
Agricultural University in Lublin.
The animals of the examined herd were housed
in a tether system with straw bedding. The cowshed was
poorly ventillated, the humidity was high (water drops
30
on the walls) and the lighting was inadequate. Manure
was hand-removed. The cows did not have access to an
outside run or pasture. The feeding system was based on
the supply of free amount of hay, hay-silage as well as
little amount of sugar beet pulp, and the mixture of
cereal and bran was given at the amount adapted to milk
productivity. Moreover, protein and mineral supplement
containing in its composition mainly macroelements was
used. The animals had constant access to water.
Blood from the external jugular vein and faeces
from the rectum were sampled from the cows with
advanced diarrhoea.
After having sampled the material, the therapy
of the whole herd was started. The first part of the
therapy consisted an individual treatment of cows
showing the most advanced clinical symptoms. A
symptomatic therapy was applied, i.e. parenteral supply
of hydrating fluids (PWE, 5% and 20% glucose), B
group vitamins, especially vitamin B1, vitamin C, and
preparations per os containing glucogenic compounds
(sodium proprionate). The other course of action aimed
at improving zoohygienic conditions in a cowshed,
introducing high biological value protein into the fodder
and also balancing mineral–vitamin supplement.
Moreover, the basic element of the efficiency of the
treatment ordered was to turn out the animals to the
outside run out pasture every day.
The second stage of the studies comprised the
determination of the intensity and extensity of
Buxtonella sulcata incidence in various herds the cows.
CPG =
In order to show the pathogenic effect of the parasite on
the condition of the alimentary tract of ruminants,
monitoring examination of cattle from different herds
was performed to determine the incidence of this
protozoon as well as the type of faeces (diarrhoeal or
physiological). The faeces for coproscopical studies was
sampled from 116 cows from 18 farms. The faeces were
taken directly from the rectum of animals with
symptoms of diarrhoea and at random – from healthy
animals.
To determine the intensity of the incidence of
B. sulcata, at both stages of the studies, the samples
were examined by the method of decantation, using
McMaster chamber (5), with the following our
(Tomczuk) modification. Five gram samples of faeces
were strained through a strainer dipped in a 400 ml
beaker filled with water. After 20 min of decantation, a
part of water was poured out, then the beaker was once
again filled with water up to the volume of 400 ml. The
process of decantation was repeated 3–4 times until the
transparent sediment was obtained. Next, the sediment
was transferred to smaller beakers and suspended in 30
ml of water. The beakers were placed on a magnetic
stirrer and, while homogenising, the solution was
transferred with a pipette into both parts of McMaster
chamber. The cysts were counted under a microscope in
both parts of McMaster chamber, and the number of
cysts in 1 g (CPG) of faeces was calculated from the
formula:
number of cysts in both parts of McMaster chamber
× 100
5
Results
At the first stage, in the majority of cows
examined clinically, except the ones in poor or bad
condition, only pale pink colouring of the muscous
membrane of the conjunctival sac was found. The
remaining clinical parameters and also routinely
accessible lymphatic nodes did not show deviations
from physiological norms. In a specific clinical study of
cows which showed diarrhoea, a low or medium level of
dehydration, changeable appetite and thirst as well as the
disorders in chewing and rumen motor activity were
found. Some animals had difficulty in raising.
Coproscopical examination of faeces from these cows,
sampled at the intensification of diarrhoeal symptoms,
showed from 600 to 1 300 B. sulcata cysts in 1 g of
faeces (Table 1) and from 14 to 21 eosinophils in 1 ml
of blood in haematological examination.
As the result of the treatment, after a weektherapy no cases of diarrhoea were observed, and after
two weeks – a marked improvement of the condition of
the cows was noted.
Coproscopical examination of faeces revealed
from 100 to 500 B. sulcata cysts in 1 g faeces of the
cows which earlier showed diarrhoea symptoms (Table
1).
Table 1
Number of Buxtonella sulcata cysts (CPG) and faeces consistency in a herd of dairy cows before and after treatment
No. of
sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
CPG
before treatment
1 300
800
1 200
920
600
800
Diarrhoeal
stool
+
+
+
+
+
+
CPG
after treatment
500
100
460
160
100
320
Diarrhoeal stool
-
31
Table 2
B. sulcata invasion intensity and extensity (CPG) and faeces consistency in the examined herds
Herd
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
No. of
sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
CPG
240
400
0
900
120
60
60
80
100
40
3 760
140
1 420
1 200
1 180
1 340
440
1 120
1 600
40
40
900
1 800
40
160
20
180
260
20
60
180
1 400
180
140
1 440
340
0
0
0
0
0
0
860
200
220
1 140
420
1 080
220
160
680
1 060
3 260
400
0
0
0
0
Diarrhoeal
stool
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
Herd
K
L
Ł
M
N
O
P
R
No. of
sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
CPG
260
120
360
180
100
400
1 380
160
80
1 280
0
0
2 960
80
140
1 060
220
160
260
120
60
180
100
140
340
20
120
240
440
180
280
0
60
60
20
20
40
20
80
2 860
1 260
60
1 120
20
340
20
260
100
80
200
120
400
60
440
120
160
60
80
Diarrhoeal
stool
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
-
32
Table 3
Effect of B. sulcata invasion intensity on frequency of diarrhoea incidence
CPG range
Number of infected
animals
Number of animals with
diarrhoea symptoms
20-99
100-499
500-999
1 000-1 999
> 2 000
28
49
4
17
4
5
8
3
15
4
At the second stage, coproscopical examination
of faeces revealed the presence of B. sulcata cysts in 102
(87.9%) from 116 examined animals (Table 2). The
intensity of the incidence of the cysts in the infected
animals ranged from 20 to 3 760 CPG of faeces. The
incidence of medium and low intensity dominated in the
animals. Diarrhoeal symptoms were noted in 16–17% of
the examined population of the cows (Table 3).
Discussion
The problem of buxtonellosis in ruminants has
not been found of great interest yet, thus there are not
many publications in the field of pathogenic effect of
ciliates. However, there is a general view that the
protozoon is a commensal of the alimentary tract of
ruminants and participates in the digestion of plant
aliment (4-6). High extensiveness of the parasite
invasion (87.9%) revealed in studies confirms the
commonness of its incidence. Simultaneous observation
of clinical condition of animals shows that in some cases
the ciliates may be responsible for the incidence and
intensification of diarrhoeal symptoms. In the animals
with the intensity exceeding 500 CPG, the frequency of
diarrhoea incidence decidedly increases, reaching 100%
of cases at the intensity exceeding 2 000 cysts in 1 g of
faeces (Table 3). The specification presented in Table 3
may univocally point to a significant influence of
Buxtonella sulcata on the incidence of diarrhoeal
symptoms in cattle. It was especially observed in cows
showing the highest invasion of the parasite (3, 4, 7).
Our observations may be compared to the
incidence of another, similar ciliate, Balantidium coli,
living in the large intestine of pig, man and many other
mammals. In the invasiology of this protozoon, there
may be distinguished asymptomatic balantidiosis, being
the result of the presence of this parasite in the lumen of
the large intestine with no marked pathogenic effect, as
well as symptomatic balantidiosis caused by damaging
effect of the protozoon on the wall of the intestine (9-11,
14). The existence of numerous factors influencing the
course of balantidosis is assumed. Clinical course of
parasitosis depends on the virulence of the pathogen,
sensitivity of the host, environmental conditions of the
site of parasite existence as well as the intensity of
invasion. The studies of Skotarczak and Zieliński (10,
% of animals
with
diarrhoea
17.8
16.3
75
88.2
100
11) proved especially significant effect of changes in pH
of large intestine content on the intensivity of invasion.
The acidity of the environment in which the protozoon
lives promotes the multiplying of the parasite as well as
the increase in cytotoxic effect on the tissues of the host.
Damaging effect on the wall of the large intestine
increases, leading to the development of inflammatory
lesions. In the damaged intestinal mucosa there appear
secondary bacterial infections, which increase
pathologic changes (7, 8).
The studies on balantidiosis revealed significant
differences in the course of experimental invasions when
infecting with invasive forms isolated from animals with
asymptomatic and symptomatic balantidiosis. They
show the differences in the activity of some enzymes in
the cells of protozoa from different clinical cases. The
observations allow to claim the hypothesis that similar
dependencies may occur also in the course of
buxtonellosis in ruminants.
The values of pH of intestine environment
depend on the changes in the feeding system as well as
on the incidence of disorders in the motility and
functioning of the digestive tract of ruminants. Incorrect
feeding systems (monodiet) may promote the
multiplying of vegetative forms of the protozoon as well
as the changes in the virulence of the parasite. The
consequence of that may be diarrhoea, which will abate
as physiological parameters of the environment of large
intestine content are restored, thus limiting the number
of protozoa. The correction of feeding applied in own
studies, resulting from the normalization of digestive
tract pH, significantly decreased the protozoon number,
which seems to confirm the above suggestions. The
intensification of clinical symptoms in the case of high
protozoon incidence may be dependent on secondary
bacterial infections of damaged intestine mucosa.
Clinical cases of balantidiosis in camels, whose
morphological and physiological characteristics of the
alimentary tract are similar to those of cattle, were also
described (1, 2). The studies univocally point to
Balantidium coli as the cause of inflammatory changes
in the alimentary tract of camels. Considering the above
reports as well as the results of our own studies, in the
case of diarrhoea of unexplained etiology in dairy cows,
the possibility of Buxtonella sulcata incidence of
increased intensity ought to be included. Primary
infections, not complicated by bacterial flora may abate
33
after returning the homeostasis of the digestive tract by
the normalization of feeding system and administering
probiotics. Only the cases complicated by pathogenic
bacterial flora will, at the further phase, need the general
treatment with the use of adequately selected antibiotics.
7.
8.
9.
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