write up

Introduction

India is blessed with rich biodiversity with a variety of fascinating wild fauna and flora. It possesses more than 75000 species of wild animals and many of them are endangered species. It is important for us to protect these endangered species which face varied problems for their survival.

For the last two decades there is increased concern regarding dwindling population of wild animals. Varied reasons have been assigned for decreasing population of wild animals including loss/degradation of habitat, hunting and poaching of mega species, intensive agriculture and industrialization, increasing human pressure, poisoning, deaths in rail/road accidents and of course, wildlife diseases especially infectious diseases.

In India, we do not have exact information regarding status of wildlife diseases due to lack of systematic surveillance of diseases in free ranging/captive wild animals. Establishment of Indian Wildlife Health Co-operative which is a collaborative project supported by Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services with five regional centers located in 5 Veterinary Colleges- Guwahati, Hisar, Anand, Jabalpur and Chennai is a right step in this direction. Here, I have attempted to compile the available information on status of infectious diseases in wild ruminants and discussed about their pathology.

List of wild ruminants in India

Order: ArtiodactylaSuborder: Ruminantia

Family: Cervidae (deer)1. Sambar (Cervus unicolor)2. Hog deer (Axis porcinus)3. Chital or spotted deer (Axis axis)4. Barking deer or muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak)5. Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus)6. Sangai or Thamin or brown-antlered deer (Cervus eldi eldi)7. Swamp deer or Barasingha (Cervus duvaucelli)8. Kashmir stag or Hangul (Cervus elaphus hunglu)

The last four species are endangered ones.

Family: Tragulidae

1. Indian chevrotain or mouse deer (Tragulus meminna)

Family: Bovidae

Antelopes2. Chiru or Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsoni)3. Black bucks or Indian antelope (Antelope cervicapra)4. Four horned antelope or chowsingha (Tetracerus quadricornis)5. Nilgai or blue bull (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

Wild oxen6. Gaur/ Indian bisons (Bos gaurus)7. Yak (Bos grunniens)8. Mithun (Bos frontalis)9. Banteng or tsaine (Bos banteng)

Gazelles10. Chinkara or Indian gazelles (Gazella gazella)11. Tibetan gazelles (Procapra picticaudata)

Exotic wild ruminants• Giraffe• Japanese sika deer• Fallow deer• Eland• Waterbuck

Infectious diseases

The most important bacterial diseases of wild ruminants include

Tuberculosis Johne’s disease (paratuberculosis) Pasteurellosis Anthrax Colibacillosis Clostridial diseases ( tetanus, blackleg, malignant oedema and pulpy kidney)

The relative importance of these diseases will vary throughout the world according to timing and circumstance, but bovine tuberculosis and Johne’s disease are likely to present the most significant problems with respect to diagnosis, control, trade in live animals and the establishment of wildlife reservoirs of infection.

The most important viral diseases of wild ruminants include

Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF)

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/specialstock/bison/diseases/bisondis.html#Malignant%20Catarrhal%20Fever

Bovine Virus Diarrhea (BVD)

Bluetongue(BT) and Epizootic hemorrhagic disease(EHD) Foot and mouth disease (FMD)

Bacterial diseases

Anthrax

Distribution of disease in different states of India

http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/herdmed/specialstock/bison/diseases/bisondis.html#Bovine%20Virus%20Diarrhea/Mucosal%20Disease

Incidence of disease in different states of India

Animal affected Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park

Basis of diagnosis/source of infection

Reference

Gaur Chital (mostly affected) Barking deer Sambar

Adult Kamrup district,Assam (free living) (1957-58)

Clinical signs (peracute)(wild animals migrated from forest areas of North Bengal)

Sinha, 1976

Gaur Sambar

Adult Kamrup district,Assam (free living) (1968)

Clinical signs (Milder form) -do-

Chital Adult (2) Zoological Park, Vishakhapatnam (AP)

Clinical signs Cited by Arora, 2003

Barking deer Adult Zoological Park, Kohima (Nagaland)

Clinical signs Cited by Arora, 2003

Sikka deer Adult National Zoological Park, New Delhi

Clinical signs Zoo Ann. Rep, 1978

Nilgiri Tahr Adult Zoological Garden, Trivendrum (Kerala)

Clinical signs (Source - Kangaroo)

Swengle, 1989

Chital Sambar Nilgai

9 1 1

Mithun Nilgai Blackbuck

Adult Zoological Park, Sepahijala (Tripura)

Clinical signs Mitra and Debnath, 1992

Sambar Adult (4) Cited by Arora, 2003

Nilgai Adult (1) Zoological Garden, Guwahati (Assam)

Clinical signs

Chital Adult (5) Banpukhuria Deer Park (West Bengal)

Clinical signs Srivastava, 2002

Occurrence of disease in different states of India

Pathology

Pathology of disease in wild ruminants is similar as that of domestic animals. Countrywide survey based on PM reports collected from different zoos of India showed death reports mostly from 2 species – Barking deer and Spotted deer (Rathore and Khera, 1981).

Species susceptibilityAccording to Edelstein et al. (1990) any mammal in a zoo can be infected if it

consumes food and water contaminated with anthrax infected material. Disease may cause serious mortalities in young ungulates, once it assumes epizootic form. Epidemic and sporadic forms have been reported in wild bison (Bison bison) and white-tailed deer.

TransmissionApart from common routes such as ingestion of contaminated soil or water and

inhalation, certain scavengers and migratory birds play an important role in the transmission of the disease in wild ruminants and in some cases, chewing of infected bones.

Clinical signsThe disease is generally septicemic in nature. Usually it occurs in

peracute or acute form but milder form of the disease has been described in gaur and sambar (Sinha, 1976).

Postmortem lesions Similar as that of domestic animals.

Diagnosis Clinical signs.

As - Assam AP - Andra PradeshNd - NagalandND - New DelhiKl - KeralaTr - TripuraWB - West Bengal

Microscopic examination of the swabs of the exudate from any of the body orifices for the presence of the bacteria, which have a characteristic square ends. Diagnosis is confirmed by detection of characteristic spores in stained blood films.

Bacterial culture, isolation and identification. Ascoli’s agar gel precipitation test.

Pasteurellosis



Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park Basis of diagnosis/ source of infection

Reference

Sambars Nilgai

All ages (1500) 2

Sariska Wildlife Sanctury, Rajasthan (1970-71)

Postmortem Sinha, 1976

Musk deer 1 Himalayan Zoological Garden, Darjeeling, WB(1975)

Postmortem (carnivores)

Report, 1978

Chital Barking deer

7 1

Zoological Garden, Trissur, Kerala

Postmortem (P.multocida)

George, 1985

Chital 6 Deer sanctuary, Guindy, Chennai

Postmortem (P.multocida)

Srinivasan et al., 1977 Damodaran et al., 1977

Hog deer - Eastern Himalayan Region

Postmortem (P.multocida &P.hemolytica)

Bhowmik, 1999

Deer - Zoological Garden, Bhilai (MP)

Postmortem Parihar, 1979

Antelope 1 Adult(8 yr)

VPU IVRI, Izatnagar (UP)

Postmortem (P.hemolytica)

Arora, 2003

Chital Fallow deer Sambar

2/19 1/1 1/4

Zoological Garden, Guwahati (Assam)

Postmortem (P.multocida) - do - (P.hemolytica)

Chakraborty et al., 1995

Deer 20 Deer Park, Taptapani, Bhubaneshwar (Orissa) (1998)

Postmortem HT-UNI Report, 1998

Musk deer 1 Chamoli deer park (Uttranchal) (1990)

Postmortem Cited by Arora, 2003

Chinkara 1 National Zoological Park, New Delhi

Postmortem Zoo Ann. Rep, 1993


Pathology

Species susceptibilitySporadic outbreaks of pasteurellosis have been reported in bison and farmed,

park, zoo and wild deer. Deer affected includes spotted (Axis axis), red, sambar (Cervus unicolor), wapiti, fallow, white-tailed, black-tailed (Odocoileus hemionus), mule and caribou deer. Wild animals are often predisposed to various forms of stress such as, overcrowding, inclement weather etc. leads to precipitation of disease.

Serotype of Pasteurella multocida associated with HS in deer and other wild ruminants was B:2,5 (B&M Div. Report, 2004).

Clinical signs Pasteurellosis may be seen as peracute form or acute septicaemia. In less severe form,

different organs of the body particularly the lungs are affected. In peracute infection, the animals die suddenly without exhibiting any clinical signs

(George, 1985; Dhoot and Upadhye, 2001). George (1985) reported death of 6 spotted deer and a barking deer out of the available

39 deer with clinical signs such as sudden onset of fever, neutrophilia, profuse salivation, depression and rapid prostration. Typically animals held their heads low with the ears drooping, showed excess salivation and sometimes tremors (acute form).

Postmortem findings Postmortem lesions are generally of septicaemic nature (George, 1985) viz,

generalised venous congestion and petechiation in visceral organs. In spotted deer, haemorrhages on larynx, trachea, muscles around neck region and

heart, congestion of visible mucus membranes, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach and intestines associated with presence of bipolar organisms in heart blood smears and impression smears of lungs were seen (Damodaran et al., 1977).

As - Assam MP - Madhya PradeshUP - Uttar PradeshUt - UttranchalND - New DelhiKl - KeralaOr – OrissaRa - RajasthanTN - TamilnaduWB - West Bengal

Manumohan et al,. (l995) described fibrinous pneumonia and petechiation on the serous membranes, heart, and trachea and enlargement of lymph nodes.

Histologically, haemorrhagic tracheitis, fibrinous bronchopneumonia, myocarditis, hepatitis and haemorrhages in lymph nodes were seen.

Arora (1994) described pneumonic pasteurellosis in the blackbuck with lesions of congestion and haemorrhages in visceral organs and consolidation of lungs due to fibronecrotic changes resulting in adhesion of lungs to the chest wall.

Diagnosis Clinical signs and post-mortem lesions. Isolation and identification of the bacteria. Demonstration of bipolar organisms in stained blood smears and impression smears

of lungs, liver, lymph node and spleen.

Tuberculosis



Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park Basis of diagnosis/ Source of infection

Reference

Deer Black buck Gazelles Nilgai

Zoological Garden, Bombay(1913-21)

Postmortem M. bovis (Llamas from Germany)

Liston-Soparkar,1924

Giraffe 12 yrs (1)

Zoological Garden, Vandallur, Madras

Postmortem M. tuberculosis

Rai and Chandrasekharan, 1958

Black buck Sambar Chital

2 1 1

Chhatbir Zoological Park, Patiala (Panjab)

Postmortem Singh et al., 1981

Black Buck Barking Deer Antelopes (Causingha, Nilgai)

All ages Nanadan Kanan Biological Park, Bhubaneswar (Orissa)

Postmortem Rao et al., 1982

Gaur Rao, 1989

Hog deer Eastern Himalayan Region


Bhowmik, 1999

Mouse deer 1 (1983) National Zoological Park, New Delhi

Postmortem

M. avium

Arora, 2003

Arora, 2000

Sangai deer Black Buck

1 1

Hog deer Chital

1 1

Black Buck Zoological Garden, Lucknow, UP


Arora, 2003

Chital VPU, IVRI, Izatnagar (UP)

Channakeshava et al., 2006


Pathology

ND - New DelhiUP - Uttar PradeshOr – OrissaAs - Assam TN - TamilnaduMr – MaharastraPa - Panjab

Wild ruminants are found to be more susceptible to bovine and human type of Mycobacterium spp,. than avian type. M. bovis was frequently isolated from most of wild ruminants (Chakraborty et al., 1993, Thakuria, 1996, Bhowmik, 1999 etc.).M. tuberculosis was isolated from some cases (Chakraborty et al., 1993, Arora, 2003, Bhowmik, 1999 etc.). Recently M.avium has been recognized causing Tb in deer (Arora, 1993).

Species susceptabilityAmong wild animals primates, deer and antelopes in our zoological collections

are highly susceptible (Arora, 2003).

Postmortem findingsThe pathological characteristics of lesions in free-living white- tailed deer are

quite variable. The predominant lesions occur in lymph nodes which are often grossly enlarged, on section containing one or more areas of pale, viscid purulent material. The central zones of these areas are sometimes partially mineralised and appear as white chalky material with gritty sound. The degree of mineralization may vary between different species of deer (in White tailed deer mineralization common but not in others) (Rhyan J.C. & Saari D.A., 1995).

A smaller percentage of lesions present as solid caseo-granulomas. Acute abscessation with neutrophilic infiltration may be found in acutely infected animals in severe outbreaks of Tb in deer herds (Griffin J.F.T. & Mackintosh C.G., 2000).

Microscopicaly typical granulomatous nodules occur. A few Langhan’s type giant cells may be seen around the caseated area although it is rare (Singh et al, 1986). In deer the encapsulation may be poor, giant cells may be present in less number, central zones of these areas are sometimes partially mineralised and the degree of mineralization may vary between different species of deer. Acute abscessation, involving neutrophils and large numbers of acid fast organisms may be found in acutely infected animals in severe outbreaks of Tb in deer herds (Griffin J.F.T. & Mackintosh C.G., 2000).

Channakeshava et al., 2006 observed predominance of caseo-necrotic areas with increased lymphocytic and moderate macrophage cellular reaction, scanty fibrinous tissue reaction at the periphery of the lesions and the absence of calcification, epitheloid and giant cells in a systemic case of M. smegmatis in spotted deer from the Van Pryani Udyan, IVRI, Izatnagar (UP).

Diagnosis Antemortem diagnosis1. Clinical signs2. Immunoassays

Cell-mediated immune-based tests

In vivo tests - Intradermal tuberculin test

In vitro tests - Lymphocyte proliferation assays, IFN-γ assay

Serological tests – ELISA

Post-mortem diagnosis

Gross pathology and Histopathology Microbiology

1. Acid fast staining method for light microscopy2. Bacterial Isolation and Identification – BACTEC systems

Isolation of M. tuberculosis in different species of wild ruminants in Assam state zoo, Guwahati (Thakuria, 1996)

Kind of animal

No. of samples examined

Nature of samples used for isolation of organisms

Type of Mycobacterium Isolated- Number of isolates

Spotted deer

06 Lung, lymph node M. bovis – 4M. tuberculosis - 2

Barking deer

08 Lung M. bovis - 6M. tuberculosis - 2

Blackbuck 03 Lung, lymph node M. bovis - 1M. tuberculosis - 2

Hog deer 07 Lung, lymph node M. bovis - 2M. tuberculosis – 5

Sambar 09 Lung, lymph node M. bovis - 6M. tuberculosis – 3

Giraffe 02 Lung M. bovis - 1

Nucleic Acid Detection Tests:

Rapid DNA amplification procedures - PCR DNA Finger printing - RFLP of IS6110 for strain typing

Johne’s disease



Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park/

Basis of diagnosis Reference

Hangul stag

1 Dachigam Sanctuary(1977)

Postmortem Saharia, 1982

Chital Swamp deer

Dudhwa National Park, UP

Clinical signs (fecal smear exam.)

Arora, 1994

Gaur Adult (1)

Tiger Reserve, Palamu, Bihar

Histopathology Lal and Ashraf, 1991

Mithun 1 Royal Veterinary Epidemiology Center, Thimpu, Bhutan

Histopathology and immunoperoxidase test

Sharma and Tripathy, 2000

Occurrence of disease in different states of IndiaUP - Uttar PradeshBi – BiharJK – Jammu Kashmir

PathologyAn acute form of paratuberculosis often occurs in red deer under 1 year of age in

contrast to the chronicity of paratuberculosis in cattle. Profuse diarrhea in red deer can lead to death of the animal within 2 weeks (Griffin, 1988; Mackintosh et al., 2002).

Species susceptibility

The disease occurs in wild and captive populations of deer and bison in their native habitats but most commonly recognized among captive wild ruminants in zoological collections or on game farms. The severity of disease may vary between deer breeds, with mule deer apparently the most susceptible. Some animals may be infected with M. paratuberculosis without showing any overt clinical symptoms.

Most isolates from deer similar to bovine strains of M. paratuberculosis (de Lisle et al., 1993) but sheep strains have been found in deer and antelope (de Lisle et al., 1993; Dukes et al., 1992).

Transmission Intrauterine transmission from dam to fetus has been demonstrated to occur in

cattle, but whether this occurs in deer and bison is not known. Infected sheep and cattle herds may act as sources of infection for deer and bison if cross-grazing or contamination of food or water occur.

Postmortem lesions Gross lesions are variable, and even in cases with severe clinical disease, lesions may

be relatively mild as compared with classic paratuberculosis in cattle. Growth of antlers and horns may be adversely affected. Microccopically necrosis and mineralization in granulomas some time occurs in

cervids. Clinically-affected bison show non-caseating granulomatous inflammation.

Subclinically-affected bison produce micro-granulomata and multinucleate Langhans’ giant cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes.

Diagnosis Postmortem finding

Bacterial culture Intradermal johnin test AGID ELISA PCR

Clostridial diseases



Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park

Basis of diagnosis Reference

Black buck (BQ)

1 Zoological Park, Shillong

Postmortem Rathore and Khera, 1982

Giraffe (ET)

1.5 yr (1)

Zoological Park, Kanpur (UP)

Postmortem- toxicological and immunological exam. (Cl.perfringens type –D )

Parihar et al., 1981

Chital (ET)

45 days (1)

Deer Park, Izatnagar

Postmortem- bacteriological and immunological exam. (Cl.perfringens type –C )

Arora, 1987

Chital Four horned antelope (ET)

Zoological Park, Bikaner

Postmortem- bacteriological and immunological exam.

Mehrotra et al., 1999

Hog deer (ET)

1 Kerala State Meuseum and Zoo

Postmortem- bacteriological and immunological exam.

Zoo Record, 1999

Sambar (Tetanus)

Adult (1)

Zoological Park, Patna, Bihar

Clinical signs Shashikanth Ajay, Zoo Vet. Officer, 2003


PathologyMost of the clostridial disease reported in deer and other wild ruminants have

been cases of Enterotoxemia, BQ and Tetanus associated with trauma, darting or injection sites for chemical restraint during handling and velvet antler removal and

UP - Uttar PradeshMe – MehalayaBi – BiharRa – RajasthanKl - Kerala

injury from fighting during the breeding season.

Clinical signs and PM lesions are similar as that of domestic animals.

Giraffe died due to ET (type - D) showed clinical signs such as, nervousness, reluctance to move and passing semisolid to loose feces. PM examination showed ballooning of intestines and petechiae on mucous membrane of duodenum, jejunum and some portion of large intestine. Liver, spleen, kidney and heart were congested (Parihar et al., 1981).

Diagnosis History of wound. Clinical signs and Post-mortem lesions. Confirmatory diagnosis requires identification of typical bacteria or toxin (toxin

antitoxin neutralization) in intestinal contents. Tetanus - Organisms in wounds are difficult to demonstrate. Black quarter - Identification of the organism using a FAT.

Colibacillosis


Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park

Basis of diagnosis

Reference

Gnu Adult (1) ZoologicalGarden, Hyderabad.

PM lesions& bact. Isolation

Char et al., 1986

Hog deer 7 Eastern Himalayan Region

Clinical signs Bhowmik,1999

E. coli serotypes isolated from clinical and nonclinical cases of captive wild ruminants

Kind of animal Specimens examined

No. of positive specimens/isolate

E. coli serotypes identified

Deer (Saxena et al.,1983) - 1 isolate 060

Swamp deer (Arora et al., 1986-95)

6 fecal samples

1 isolate 099

Barking deer(Rahman et al, 1986) (Char et al., 1986)

4 fecalsamples

4 isolate 1 isolate

017(1), 030(1), U/T (2)

038Sambar (Char et al.,1986)- 5 isolate 020, 02, 01,U/T(2)

Spotted deer - 3 isolate 056,055, 064

Fallow deer - 1 isolate 055

Musk deer - 1 isolate 045

Hog deer - 3 isolate 035, 0125, 0128

Bison - 3 isolate 01, R/S(1), U/T(1)

Gnu - 1 isolate 02

Water buck - 1 isolate 02

E. coli serotypes isolated in captive ruminants (Chakraborty and Sarma, 1995)

Kind of animal No. of animals Nature of samples tested

E. coli serotypes

Spotted deer 04 Pus swab from liver

Lung

Intestinal content

Lung

097

060

U / T

05

Barking deer04 Intestinal content

Intestinal content

Intestinal content

Lung

074

037

037

04

Sambar 04 Swab from back wound

Swab from cervical region wound

Duodenal content

Intestinal content

0154

017

07

U / TMouse deer 02 Intestinal content

Intestinal contentR / SU / T

Black buck 02 Swab from woundIntestinal content

0133017

Nilgai 02 Intestinal contentIntestinal content

08U / T

Giraffe 01 Heart blood R / S

PathologyA serotype of E. coli 099 was isolated from feces of free ranging Barasingha and

which is of public health significance.

E. coli is ubiquitous and is a normal inhabitant of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and urogenital systems and skin etc. of all animals. Therefore, mere isolation of organisms is of no consequence unless its pathogenicity is tested particularly its implications in clinical signs and pathology. Some of the wild ruminants may be acting as reservoirs for E.coli pathotypes and act as potential threat to other animals and zoo keepers.Numerous serotypes are non-pathogenic, and among pathogenic serotypes some are specific for septicaemia and some for enteric disease.

DiagnosisSpecific diagnosis requires the isolation and typing of the bacterium.

Viral Diseases



Animal affected

Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park Basis of diagnosis Reference

Gaur Entire herd

Manikgarh in old Hyderabad

Clinical signs Ali, 1935

Bisons > 100 Warangal district (AP) Clinical signs Ali, 1935Chital Bandipur Forest

Reserve Clinical signs Neginhal, 1974

Sambar Gir forest, Gujarat Clinical signs Khan, J.A., 1987 personel communication

Gaur 20 Biligiri range hills of Karnataka

Source – village cattle

Morris, 1953

Bisons Adult (3/8)

Zoological Park, Hyderabad (AP)

Clinical signs – type-C (Source -Infected feed)

Report, 1973-74

Bison Kaziranga Wildlife National Park, Kaziranga

Clinical signs Deb Roy, 1992 (PC)

Nilgai 14 Van Vihar, Nagpur (Maharastra)

Clinical signs and postmortem lesions. Type- A (Mukhopadhyay et al., 1975)

Paikne et al., 1976

Cervids Antelope

25/113 Mr-22.1% Mt -20%

Biological park, Bhubaneshwar (Orrisa)

type O, Source – domestic cattle

Kar et al., 1983

Yaks Kinnaur dist. (HP) Clinical signs Prasad et al., 1978

Yaks 17/50 (3 outbreaks) (2 calves < 1 yr) Mr -34%, Mt-11.75%

Sikkim type O & Asia - 1 Katiyar et al., 1981

Deer Mithun

34/38 2

Zoological Park, Guwahati, Assam

Clinical signs Sarma et al., 1983 Dutt et al., 1979, Mahanta et al., 1980

Nilgai Gazelle

Deer park, Hissar, Hariyana

Source – domestic stock (via attendants)

Ahuja et al., 1985

Blue bull Hog deer

Patiala Deer Park, Punjab

Clinical signs Sinha, 1988

Four horned antelope Nilgais

6 10

Zoological Park, Venkateshwar (AP) (1998)

Clinical signs

Wild ruminants

- Zoological Garden, Culcutta, WB

Clinical signs Report, VIP, Bengal, 1938-39

Wild ruminants

CZA, Mortality data bank, 2001


PathologyMany animal species, including humans, and all artiodactyls, are susceptible.

Among cervids, infection has been reported in reindeer, moose, muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), white-tailed deer, sika deer, fallow deer (Dama dama) and red deer. There is no report of FMD in bison. Experimentally although all species can be infected, there appears to be a range of susceptibility. Red deer and fallow deer develop only mild lesions and are much less susceptible than muntjac and roe deer, which develop severe potentially fatal disease.

Strains isolated from wild ruminants

Animal Type of Strain Reference

Nilgai type A Mukhopadhyay et al., 1975

Yaks type O &Asia-1 Dutta et al., 1981

Chitals,sambar, blackbucks

type O Kar et al., 1983

Bison type C Khan and Basith, 1988

It was possible to infect cattle, sheep, goat and guinea pigs by type A virus isolated from nilgai (Mukhopadhyay et al., 1975).

Clinical signsPaikne et al., (1976) observed characteristic clinical signs like lameness, abortion

and death in all the affected 4 nilgais at Van Vihar, Nagpur. According to Kar et al.,

AP – Andhra PradeshSi – SikkimWB - West BengalAs - Assam Pa - PanjabHy – HariyanaOr – OrissaMr – MaharastraKa - -KarnatakaGu - Gujarat

(1983), the outbreak of thr disease first appears in blackbucks followed by chitals and sambars at Nandan kanan Biological Park (NKBP). The incidence and case fatality rates were found to be 22% and 20%, respectively. The other even-toed ungulates maintained in the zoo remained unaffected.

In yaks, the morbidity rate was only 24% with lesions on tongue, gums, muzzle, nasal and feet epithelium without any mortality (Dutta et al., 1981). Sarma et al., (1983) observed high fever and vascular lesions on the feet and oral cavity of sambars. Soon, the disease spread rapidly to the other deer within a period of a week in which 34 of the 38 animals were affected. Mithun present in the adjoining enclosure had also contracted disease but surprisingly, all the ungulates housed in the adjacent enclosures were unaffected.

Khan and Basith (1988) noticed that a number of ungulates notably llama, eland, wild beast, waterbucksand sambar deer housed in the adjoining enclosure of FMD affected gaur and bison did not contact the disease confirming the findings of Sarma et al. (1983). Of the 8 gaurs and bisons affected with disease, only the former succumbed to death and others recovered following treatment. Affected gaurs showed pyrexia, anorexia, salivation and lameness due to tenderness of feet. Ulcers were seen on oral mucosa, lips, tongue, hard palate and interdigital space. In bison, limping, salivation and nasal discharges were noticed. The animals remained anorectic and dull for 2 days and recovered after medication.

Ahuja et al., (1985) described that the persons attending the domestic animals suffering from FMD were responsible for spread of the disease among nilgais and gazelles of Deer Park, Hissar. At Patiala Deer Park, a male blue bull and hog-deer died of FMD after exhibiting vesicular lesions in mouth and on the feet (Singh, 1988).

Experimentally infected red deer, whether they were infected by exposure to infected cattle, or by inoculation of virus, developed either inapparent infection or only mild clinical signs. Vesicles developed in the mouth of only a small proportion of the infected animals. Those that did develop vesicles remained alert, did not show excess salivation, and are not lame. On the other hand, the closely related sika deer developed severe signs, with copious salivation, depression, lameness, and ulceration of the oral mucous membranes.

Postmortem findings

Apart from conventional sites, vesicles were noticed on the epithelium of the forestomach (Paikne et al., 1976). They also observed characteristic tigroid appearance of heart in the affected nilgai calves along with cyanosis of the conjunctiva, oedema and congestion of the lungs, and injection of subcutaneous blood vessels.

Basith (1988) noticed on the epithelium on tongue, hard palate and interdigital tissue of gaurs affected with the disease. They did not observe any lesions on the udder and teats.

In experimentally infected red deer, the main pathological signs are restricted to the epithelium of the mouth and hard palate, where small vesicles are seen. No lesions developed on the coronets. In other species that die of acute infections, degeneration of the heart muscles is a feature of the disease

Diagnosis Clinical signs and history Animal inoculation Virus isolation and serological testing ELISA or PCR Bhat and Manickam (1997) employed simple agar gel precipitation test for detection

of antibodies against FMD virus. They detected positive reactors among the spotted deer but not in blackbucks against type O virus.

Bluetongue


Animal affected Age/no. affected

Name of zoo/park Basis of diagnosis

Reference

Nilgai Barking deer Chousingha

4/4 3/15 4/4

Biological Park, Bhubaneswar (Orissa)

PM Lesions Acharjyo and Rao, 1986

Hog deer 4 yearlings Eastern Himalayan Region

Clinical signs & PM Lesions

Bhowmik, 1999

Chital 1 Forest of srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu

Clinical signs & PM Lesions

Sivaseelan, 2003

Sambars 2 Sariska Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan

Immunological Prasad et al., 1998



TN - TamilnaduOr – OrissaRa – RajasthanHER - Eastern Himalayan Region

PathologyAlthough BT is principally a disease of white-tailed and mule deer, several other

species can become infected. Bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope can develop fatal infections, and antibodies have been found in wild carnivores and rodents, although their significance is not known. Abortions, still-birth and foetal abnormalities reported in sheep are unknown in wild

ruminants. Mortality in white-tailed deer herds may reach 50%, but in enzootic foci outbreaks of

clinical disease are rare. Acharjyo and Rao (1986) reported case fatality rate of 75 % in nilgai and 100% in

fourhorned antelopes and barking deer. Sudden deaths in 3 animals and deaths within 1-4 days of illness in 6 and within 20 days in one were observed. The clinical signs exhibited by the affected animals prior to death included dullness, depression, listlessness, anorexia, copious salivation and lacrimation.

Conclusion

Transmission of infectious diseases at the wildlife/domestic animal interface is frequently bi-directional leading to loss of both domestic and endangered wild animals and many of these diseases are also zoonoses (Tb, JD etc..).

Captivity and Farming of wildlife species frequently leads to the emergence of management- and/or density-related infectious disease problems (pasteurellosis, E.coli etc.,).

Although schemes for the eradication of some infectious diseases in domestic livestock exist in many countries, similar schemes are costly and technically difficult to implement in free-ranging wildlife.

In India, we do not have exact information regarding status of wildlife diseases due to lack of systematic surveillance of diseases in free ranging/captive wild animals except certain sporadic reports.

Due to the technical difficulties of sampling free-ranging wildlife, surveillance and monitoring of infectious disease in wildlife requires imaginative and innovative thinking and techniques.

MAJOR SEMINOR

ON

STATUS AND PATHOLOGY OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF WILD RUMINANTS

Submitted To

Dr. Somvanshi, Ph.DPrincipal Scientist,

Division of Pathology.

Submitted By

G. Jamuna,Roll No. 4604,

M. V. Sc ScholarDivision of pathology.

DEEMED UNIVERSITYINDIAN VETERINARY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

IZATNAGAR-243122, BAREILLY

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