Scanning and electron microscopy was used to study the pathogenesis that occurred in mouse epithelial cells that had been penetrated by Eimeria papillata sporozoites. Optimal penetration of parasites injected into nonligated and ligated mouse intestine was found to occur at 4-15 min post-inoculation. During initial penetration, the parasite caused disruption of the microvilli of the intestinal cells, which led to detachment of the microvilli from the plasma membrane of the penetrated cell. Host cells penetrated by the parasite showed extensive destruction of the internal cellular organization together with blebbing of host-cell cytoplasm and release of internal organelles such as mitochondria. Ultimately, the penetrated cells completely broke down, leaving vacuolated areas next to ultrastructurally normal epithelial cells. © 1992 Springer-Verlag.