Pathological alterations in natural cases of Capillaria hepatica infection alone and in concurrence with Cysticercus fasciolaris in Bandicota bengalensis

The present study reports the natural occurrence and pathomorphological alterations of Capillaria hepatica infection alone and in concurrence with Cysticercus fasciolaris infection in the liver of Bandicota bengalensis. Out of the eighteen mature male B. bengalensis autopsied, livers of eight rats (44.4 %) were found infected with parasites comprising two (11.1 %) rats infected with C. hepatica alone, four (22.2 %) infected with C. fasciolaris alone and two (11.1 %) infected with C. hepatica in concurrence with C. fasciolaris. Gross lesions comprising of pale cystic areas or streaks on the surface of liver in rats revealed the presence of eggs of C. hepatica scattered in the parenchyma of the liver. Histologically, granulomatous reaction around the eggs, adult worms and dead components of parasites were observed.