Balantidiasis in Gastric Lymph Node of Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia)

Balantidiasis is an infectious disease worldwide which is produced by a protozoan Balantidium coli. This single-celled organism is characterized by their large size ranging from 50 $\mu\textrm{m}$ to more than 500 $\mu\textrm{m}$ [1] which indicated by the presence of cilia on its cell surface. The parasite occurs in the lumen of cecum and colon of swine, humans and nonhuman primates as commensal, but can turn opportunist and invade injury tissues by other diseases [2]. It is difficult to diagnose the disease clinically since they are asymptomatic [3]; and can be complicated with other disease or parasitism. Here we report the incidental findings of Balantidiasis in the lymphatic ducts of gastric lymph node of Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). (omitted)