Effects on abomasal function of Ostertagia circumcincta infections in sheep

Abstract

Sheep in which abomasal fundic pouches had been made were infected with Ostertagia circumcincta (150000 larvae in one sheep, 100000 in three sheep). Subsequently studies were made on pouch secretion, food intake, plasma pepsinogens and abomasal pouch secretory responses when the sheep first ate. A functional abomasal lesion was apparent within 4 days of infection judged by the changes in plasma pepsinogen levels and the sodium concentrations of abomasal contents. Whereas the secretory activity of the abomasal fundic pouches (never exposed to parasites) was maintained or increased, the pH and sodium concentration of contents taken from the infected part of the abomasum were indicative of either a failure to secrete or of a permeability reabsorptive lesion. Ultrastructural studies demonstrated that parietal cells of the pouches had the appearance of cells subjected to strong secretory stimuli, but those of infected abomasa were similar to cells of gastric mucosa subjected to agents suppressing secretion. Factors which might operate, on the one hand, to stimulate secretion from separated fundic abomasal pouches, and on the other to inhibit or modify the secretory activity of the fundic mucosa of the infected abomasa, are discussed.