Rafidain Journal of Science

Abstract

Congenital toxoplasmosis is one of the most important causes of abnormalities and pathological changes in fetuses that cause miscarriage, fetal death, or the death of newborns, especially in farms animals. The research designed to study of the histological changes in the brain and the liver of sheep’s fetuses that infected with Congenital Toxoplasmosis in in the third trimester of pregnancy. 32 fetuses where taken after slaughtering the mothers and then collect the brain and liver after confirming the infection by laboratory tests. The histological study showed that the brain suffering from congestion of blood vessels, hemorrhage and necrotizing areas surrounded with Glial cells, infiltration of leukocytes and the parasites tissue cysts. In the liver the lesions were sever necrosis, degeneration, dilatation of blood sinusoids and the tissue lost the characterizing appearance of liver tissue, the presence of the parasite in multiple areas surrounded with leukocytes and kupffer cells. We conclude from the current study that the parasite has a severe and destructive effects on the brain and liver tissues of sheep’s fetuses, however pregnancy may continue to the last period and this explains the death of fetuses in late pregnancy or the death of lambs immediately after birth when they are congenitally infected with toxoplasmosis as a result of failure of Those organs to perform their vital functions.