DETECTION OF TOXOPLASMA-GONDII IN LIVER-TISSUE SECTIONS FROM BROWN HARES (LEPUS-EUROPAEUS P) AND MOUNTAIN HARES (LEPUS-TIMIDUS L) USING THE PEROXIDASE ANTI-PEROXIDASE (PAP) TECHNIQUE AS A COMPLEMENT TO CONVENTIONAL HISTOPATHOLOGY

The peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) staining technique was used in a retrospective study to confirm the routine histopathological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in sections of liver tissue from 388 wild brown hares (Lepus europaeus P.) and 202 wild mountain hares (L. timidus L.) subjected to autopsy at the National Veterinary Institute, Sweden during 1980-1985. Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites and tissue cysts together with generally widespread necrotic hepatic changes were demonstrated in 39 cases of brown hares and in 8 of mountain hares, acute toxoplasmosis thus comprising 10.1% and 4.0% of the diagnoses in the respective materials. The PAP staining technique was shown to be an excellent method of detecting T. gondii infection in hares and immunohistochemistry to be an essential complement to routine histopathology to establish the diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in these cases.