Oat cells in the pathology of ovine pneumonia-pleurisy

Authors: Herceg M, Thurley DC, Davies DH
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 30, Issue 11, pp 170-173, Nov 1982
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant, Sheep
Subject Terms: Bacterial, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Disease/defect, Infectious disease, Pathology, Pneumonia/pleurisy, Respiratory system
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: Light microscope observations on oat cells in the ovine pneumonia-pleurisy complex are presented. This study is based on the experimental production of the disease by viruses and Pasteurella haemolytica. Oat cells appeared only in necrotic lesions associated with large numbers of P. haemolytica in the pneumonic lung. It is suggested that oat cells originate from blood monocytes, which transform into the oat shape when developing in the necrotic, hypoxic environment created by P. haemolytica. They were not, however, observed to be phagocytic. Oat cells are characteristic of pneumonic pasteurellosis but are not pathognomonic because they can also be found in extrapulmonary locations and in other pathological conditions of the lungs.

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