Figure 3

Clinical findings in acute bovine besnoitiosis in study animals [SA] 4, 6, and 20. The exact period of acute disease was determined retrospectively after serology results confirmed an infection with Besnoitia besnoiti. The acute stage is defined as the period in which an animal had a body temperature of > 39.0°C or showed at least two of the following clinical signs/diagnoses: depression, conjunctivitis, subcutaneous edema, lymphadenitis, lameness. A black bar indicates on which day an animal showed specific clinical alterations during the acute stage of disease. The day of seroconversion is marked by dark grey. The scores 1 (mild), 2 (moderate), and 3 (severe) indicate the severity of alteration from physiological values. For lameness evaluations a five-point scoring system was utilized: Normal gait (1), mild (2), moderate (3), moderate to severe (4), and severe lameness (5) [28]. ^a)Hyperemia of unpigmented skin and mucous membranes; ^b) Petechiae in the nasal and oral mucous membranes; ^c)Lymphadenitis of Lnn. cervicales superficiales; ^d)Lymphadenitis of Lnn. cervicales superficiales and Lnn. subiliaci; ^e)Increase of synovial joint fluid in the stifle, carpal and tarsal joints.