Echinococcus multilocularis in Two Lowland Gorillas ( Gorilla g. gorilla)

An unusual presentation of alveolar echinococcosis was observed in two lowland gorillas ( Gorilla g. gorilla). Clinical signs included progressive abdominal enlargement, apathy and anorexia. Macroscopical changes consisted of severe peritonitis and foci of hepatic necrosis with large cavities replac...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative pathology 2003-07, Vol.129 (1), p.85-88
Main Authors: Rehmann, P., Gröne, A., Lawrenz, A., Pagan, O., Gottstein, B., Bacciarini, L.N.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
alveolar echinococcosis
Animals
Animals, Zoo
Antigens, Helminth - analysis
Ape Diseases - pathology
Echinococcosis, Hepatic - drug therapy
Echinococcosis, Hepatic - pathology
Echinococcosis, Hepatic - veterinary
Echinococcus - immunology
Echinococcus - isolation & purification
Echinococcus multilocularis
Fatal Outcome
Gorilla g. gorilla
Gorilla gorilla
Granuloma, Foreign-Body - parasitology
Granuloma, Foreign-Body - pathology
Granuloma, Foreign-Body - veterinary
Hepatitis, Animal - parasitology
Hepatitis, Animal - pathology
Liver - parasitology
Liver - pathology
Male
Necrosis
Parasitic Diseases, Animal - drug therapy
Parasitic Diseases, Animal - immunology
Parasitic Diseases, Animal - pathology
Parasitic infection
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:An unusual presentation of alveolar echinococcosis was observed in two lowland gorillas ( Gorilla g. gorilla). Clinical signs included progressive abdominal enlargement, apathy and anorexia. Macroscopical changes consisted of severe peritonitis and foci of hepatic necrosis with large cavities replacing most of the normal tissue. Additionally, a few structures resembling hydatid cysts were present. Histologically, some necrotic areas contained fragments of a laminated wall characteristic of echinococcal metacestodes. Only a few areas showed the multiloculated architecture typical of Echinococcus multilocularis. Serum antibodies against E. multilocularis antigen were detected in both animals, and granulomatous and necrotizing hepatitis with severe peritonitis due to E. multilocularis was diagnosed. The pathological changes in alveolar echinococcosis in gorillas appear to resemble more closely those found in human beings than those in other non-human primates.
ISSN:0021-9975
1532-3129
DOI:10.1016/S0021-9975(02)00159-7