Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences

Volume: 55 Issue: 3

  • Open Access
  • Short Communication

Histomorphological features of pulmonary tuberculosis in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus)

David Abraham1, P.M. Deepa1*, C. Purnima2, K.C. Bipin1, C.V. Rajani3, K. Vijayakumar4 and T.V. Anilkumar5

1 Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, 3 Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Wayanad- 673 576, 4 Department of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy 680651, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Kerala, India, 2 Indian Institute of Science Education Research, Maruthamala PO, Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram 695551, 5 Division of Experimental Pathology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram 695 012.

Year: 2024, Page: 661-663, Doi: https://doi.org/10.51966/jvas.2024.55.3.661-663

Received: Dec. 19, 2023 Accepted: March 30, 2024 Published: Sept. 30, 2024

Abstract

Tuberculosis in Asian elephants usually shows involvement of lungs and associated lymph nodes. Grossly, the affected lobes of lungs reveal circumscribed lesions of varying sizes with central areas of caseation and necrosis. This report documents histomorphological features of pulmonary tuberculosis in six Asian elephants. The important cell types present were lymphocytes, foamy macrophages, epithelioid macrophages and Langhan’s type of giant cells. In addition, caseation necrosis, fibrotic capsule, and mineralisation (calcification) were also observed. Characteristic features of tuberculoid granulomas observed in the six cases showed similarities with other species. The six cases showed varying proportions of the seven defined features but all features were present together only in one case

Keywords: Granuloma, histopathology

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Cite this article

David Abraham, Deepa, P.M., Purnima, C.,. Bipin, K.C, Rajani, C.V., Vijayakumar K. and Anilkumar, T.V. 2024. Histomorphological features of pulmonary tuberculosis in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 55 (3):661-663

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