Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Asian Elephants Elephas maximus in Karnataka state, India
B.R.
Harish 1, B.M. Shivaraj 2, B.M. Chandranaik2,
M.D.Venkatesh 2 & C. Renukaprasad2
1,2 Southern
Regional Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (SRDDL), Institute of Animal Health and
Veterinary Biologicals (IAH&VB), Karnataka
Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University (KVAFSU), Hebbal, Bengaluru, Karnataka
560024, India
Email: 1 drharishnaik@gmail.com
Date
of publication 26 March 2009
ISSN 0974-7907
(online) | 0974-7893 (print)
Editor: Jacob V.Cheeran
Manuscript
details:
Ms # o1778
Received 18 May
2007
Final revised
received 08 December 2007
Finally accepted
21 July 2008
Citation: Harish, B.R.,
B.M. Shivaraj, B.M. Chandranaik,
M.D. Venkatesh & C. Renukaprasad(2009). Hemorrhagic Septicemia in Asian Elephants Elephas maximus in
Karnataka state, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa1(3): 194-195.
Copyright:© B.R. Harish, B.M. Shivaraj, B.M. Chandranaik, M.D. Venkatesh &
C. Renukaprasad 2009. Creative Commons Attribution
3.0 Unported License. JoTTallows unrestricted use of this article in any medium for non-profit purposes,
reproduction and distribution by providing adequate credit to the authors and
the source of publication.
Various
infectious agents have been incriminated in causing diseases in wild animals,
of which bacterial diseases are the most common occurrence and Hemorrhagic
Septicemia (HS) or Pasturellosis has long
been recognized as a serious disease. The disease was reported in wild ruminants viz. spotted deer, bighorn
sheep, bison, barking deer, musk deer, as well as in lion, leopard and
elephants in India and world wide (Ahmed 2001; Srivasatv2003).
In view of the
importance of HS, the present investigation was carried out on Asian Elephants
(Elephas maximus)
in three national parks of Karnataka state, India .
Clinical
history:A male 31/2 year old elephant belonging to the Mysore Zoo - Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens was sick with symptoms of
respiratory distress, frothy discharge from trunk; swelling under the abdomen
and base of tail; and intermittent digestive disorders. The zoo veterinarian treated the elephant
symptomatically. The animal was
recumbent and died after a prolonged illness. Two other wild elephants belonging to the NagaraholeNational Park and Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary were
found dead in the forest. The local
veterinarian conducted the post-mortems and collected clinical samples for
laboratory investigations.
Gross findings: The following
gross findings were observed in all three carcasses: the carcasses were found
to be weak, debilitated with hemorrhagic conjunctiva, the bronchi and
bronchioles were filled with frothy mucus plug, the heart showed various
degrees of hemorrhages over the endocardium with
edematous atrial wall, the liver was congested and
hard in consistency, the spleen showed hemorrhagic spots and congestion, the esophagous, stomach and, intestines showed edematous
thickening with hemorrhages in the mucosal wall, and the kidney showed perirenal edema, subcapsularhemorrhages, and highly congested medulla.
Microbiological
examinations: Impression
smears of lung and heart blood revealed bipolar characteristic pasturella organisms (Image 1) by direct microscopic
examination. Pure colonies of Pasturella multocidawere obtained in heart blood cultured on blood agar. Mice inoculation study also confirmed the
presence of pasturella species. No other causal agents were observed.
Histopathological changes
Lung: Section of the
lungs showed congestion, edema, patchy areas of collapse and emphysema. Distention of interalveolarsepta with infiltration of inflammatory cells predominantly neutrophils. The connective tissue surrounding the blood
vessels was thickened. In addition,
alveolar edema and occasional hemorrhages were noticed in the alveoli and
throughout the parenchyma of lung (Image 2).
Liver: Periportal thickening due
to fibrous tissue proliferation, bileduct epithelial
hyperplasia and fibrous tissue proliferation around the central vein were
predominant. Focal collection of
inflammatory cells predominantly consisted of mononuclear cells and neutrophils.
Kidney: Tubules showed
degenerative changes, characterized by tubular epithelial desquamation and
lumen filled with eosinophilic debris. Glomerular capillary degeneration, periarterialsclerosis with thickening of the kidney capsule was noticed (Image 3).
Heart: Evidence of
diffuse hemorrhages with focal necrosis of the muscle fibers (Image 4).
Spleen: Section of the
spleen showed hemorrhages, lymphoid depletion and mild connective tissue
proliferation.
Intestine: Vasculature
appeared to be congested with evidence of hemorrhages. Disruptive changes were noticed in the tips
of the villi epithelium.
Based on the
clinical signs, gross and microscopic lesions, biochemical and mouse
inoculation studies, it can be concluded that the death of the three elephants
could be due to Pasturella species. The report of deaths due to HS in elephants
was in accordance with Chandrashekharan (2002), and Srivasatv (2003).
References
Ahmed, N. (2001). Health management of free ranging wild animals. Intas Polivet2(11): 182-186.
Chandrasekaran, K. (2002). Specific diseases of Asian elephants. Journal of Indian
Veterinary Association VII(3): 31-34.
Shrivastav,
A.B. (2003). History of Wildlife Diseases with
Particular Reference To India. National Symposium On Basic Patholgy And Animal
Diseases - A Need For Fresh Approach In Indian Scenario And XX Annual
Conference Of Indian Association Of VeterinayPathologists, Jabalpur, 142-147.