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Comparative transmission electron microscopy on Besnoitia besnoiti and on a strain of Besnoitia derived from goats in Kenya revealed that the two organisms differ in their pellicle, micropore, microtubules, nucleus, wall-forming body 1 (W1), amount of lipids and amylopectin. Thus the caprine besnoitia is probably a different organism and the term Besnoitia caprae should continue to be used.

Inoculation of cystozoites obtained from natural, chronic cases of caprine besnoitiosis produced clinical disease in goats but not in rabbits, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters, rats or cattle. Histological examination of tissue sections from the experimental animals showed Besnoitia cysts only in goats. This, together with field observations that cattle reared together with goats having besnoitiosis do not contract the disease, suggests that the Besnoitia species that infects goats in Kenya is host-specific and is not Besnoitia besnoiti. We suggest that the name Besnoitia caprae be adopted for the caprine pathogen.

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