K. Gururaj

Pathological studies of female reproductive tract in goats

A total of 660 samples of female reproductive tract were collected and examined, from various abattoirs of Bareilly and Agra city of Uttar Pradesh, Palwal town of Haryana state and Delhi, India and from post-mortem house at Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. Of these, 154 (23.33%) tracts revealed gross and microscopic pathological lesions including ovary (40), fallopian tube (8), uterus (82), cervix (17) and vagina (7). The highest affected organ was uterus followed by ovary, cervix, fallopian tubes and vagina. Endometritis was the major pathological condition observed in 37 cases of affected uteri. Based on microscopic examination, endometritis was categorised into acute endometritis, non-purulent chronic endometritis, purulent chronic endometritis and chronic granulomatous endometritis. Ovary was the second most affected organ after uterus, with pathological conditions like ovarian cysts, including par ovarian cysts, polycystic ovary, follicular cysts and luteal cysts, and ovarian tumour were encountered. Other portions of genitalia revealed hydrosalpinx, hydrometra, cervicitis, vaginitis and congenital anomalies like uterus unicornis, double cervix and duplex vagina. The pathological lesions could result into infertility or sterility of the goats leading to economic losses to the farmers.

Prevalence and bacterial etiology of subclinical mastitis in goats reared in organized farms

Aim: Assessment of the status of subclinical mastitis (SCM) in Jamunapari and Barbari goats in Indian organized farms, the involvement of bacterial pathogens and their sensitivity to antibiotics. Materials and Methods: A total of 181 composite milk samples were aseptically collected from the apparently healthy Barbari (n=95) and Jamunapari (n=86) goats. The California mastitis test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC) were used to diagnose SCM. The milk samples with CMT scores of 0 and +1 were considered as negative, while the samples with the score of +2 or +3 were taken as positive, and further, the positive samples were used for the bacteriological examination. An antibiotic sensitivity test was performed by disk diffusion method using seven commercially available antibiotic discs. Results: All the samples having CMT score of +2 or +3 demonstrated SCC more than 1 million. Overall, the prevalence of SCM in the goats was assessed as 19.89% (36/181). The prevalence of SCM in Barbari and Jamunapari goats was found as 24.21% (23/95) and 15.12% (13/86), respectively. Out of 11 isolates of Staphylococci, 9 isolates were identified as coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CNS), whereas 2 isolates were found as Staphylococcus aureus. The identified bacterial isolates (n=30) did not show antibiotic resistance. Conclusion: The current investigation showed the considerable prevalence of SCM among Jamunapari and Barbari goats which may have a negative impact on quantity and quality of the milk. CNS was found as the most prevalent cause of SCM in the goats. Negligible antibiotic resistance was found among the identified udder pathogens.

Molecular etiopathology of naturally occurring reproductive diseases in female goats

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular etiopathology of occurrence of reproductive diseases in female goats. Reproductive diseases in goats account for major economic losses to goat farmers in terms of valuable loss of offspring and animal productivity. Materials and Methods: A total of 660 female genitalia were examined for pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). The etiopathological study was carried out for the presence of pathogenic organisms such as Brucella, Chlamydia, and Campylobacter in the uterus and ovary. Based on the microscopic lesions, suspected samples were subjected to diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for various etiological agents employing 16srRNA genus specific primers for Campylobacter and Chlamydophila and OMP31 gene-based PCR for Brucella melitensis and nested PCR using ITS-1 gene primers for Toxoplasma gondii. For Brucella suspected samples, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed. Results: In studied female genitalia, 108 (16.30%) showed gross abnormalities with overall 23.32% occurrence of pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). Pathological involvement of the uterus was the highest 68 (62.96%), followed by the ovaries 27 (25%) and other organs. Major uterine condition observed was endometritis (5.60%). In uterine infections, 35 (5.30%) samples were found positive for Campylobacter spp., 12 (1.81%) samples for B. melitensis, and 3 (0.45%) samples were positive for Chlamydophila spp. Among the samples positive for B. melitensis by PCR, 3 were found positive by IHC also. Corynebacterium ovis was detected by PCR using specific primers in a case of hydrosalpinx. It was concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats. Conclusion: The present study concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats.

Cytological, microbiological and molecular evaluation of synovial fluid in natural cases of arthritis in Indian goats

In present study, cytological, microbiological and molecular evaluation of synovial fluid in arthritis cases of goats from organized and unorganized farms were carried out. A total of 360 goats were clinically examined for the presence of arthritis belonging to rural as well as organized herds and slaughter house. Synovial fluid was aseptically collected from 20 clinical arthritis cases (12 kids and 8 adults) under aseptic conditions. The samples were either pale yellow or amber opaque (55%; 11/20), blood tinged in colour (25%; 5/20) to normal, clear and colourless (20%; 4/20). The volume of synovial fluid increased significantly in arthritic cases with mean value of 5±2ml as against the normal 0.94± 0.26ml in carpal joints, 7–8 ml in stifle and hock joints as against the normal 1–1.5ml of these samples, 20% (4/20) were classified as limpid, 25% (5/20) semi turbid and 55% (11/20) turbid. Relative viscosity of synovial fluid decreased significantly in arthritis cases 45% (9/20) compared to normal 55% (11/20). Regarding the cytological analysis the mean global nucleated cell count was high ranging from 300±50 to 619±50 cells per μlas against the normal 48.02±24.47 cells/μl. The differential count revealed significant increase in neutrophils in 40% (8/20) cases and predominance of lymphocytes and monocytes in 60% (12/20) cases. Bacteriological examination of synovial fluid from infectious arthritis cases (57.14%; 8/14) revealed presence of Staphylococcus spp. including S. aureus as a cause of septicaemic arthritis in kids, which was confirmed by biochemical and molecular tests.

Patho-morphological studies on spontaneous joint affections of goats in northern and central region of India

A total 1200 goats were clinically examined for the presence of encephalitis, arthritis, and other joint affections during the course of study belonging to rural as well as organized herds and slaughter house. A total of 112 joints were collected to study the pathology of spontaneous joint affections in the Indian goats. O these, 36 cases revealedjoint affections and subjected to pathological studies. The involvement of the joints of fore limb was more (58.82%) than those of hind limb (41.17%). Based on Histopathological examination, osteoarthritis was the most common joint affection 61.11% (22/36), followed by infectious arthritis 30.55% (11/36), with osteochondrosis 8.33% (3/36) being the least common joint affection in goats. Osteoarthritis was histologically characterized byfibrillation 19.44% (7/36), loss of proteoglycan 25% (9/36), degradation of articular cartilage 13.88% (5/36), disappearance of chondrocytes and exposure of subchondral bone 5.55% (2/36). There was complete loss of articular cartilage in some cases of osteoarthritis 19.44% (7/36) and the defect was completely replaced by fibrous tissue and fibro-cartilage along with pannus formation. Among the arthritic cases histological lesions were capsule necrosis along with mild infiltration with plasma cells, mixed lymphocytes, activated macrophages and fibroblasts at different development stages along with disorganization of connective tissue fibres 16.66% (6/36), moderate infiltration with fibrosis 8.33% (3/36). On the basis of our study it may be concluded that osteoarthritis was most common joint affection followed by infectious arthritis and osteochondrosis was least common in Indian goats.

A case of composite neoplasm of ovary in a goat having histological features of thecoma and metastatic adenocarcinoma

A carcass of eight year old female goat of non-descript breed was brought for post-mortem examination. The animal died with a history of weakness and emaciation. On necropsy, the pelvic cavity revealed presence of a large ovarian growth weighing about 1.5 kg with presence of hemorrhagic and necrotic foci on the surfaces. Lungs, pericardium, pleural cavity showed the presence of many small clusters/bunches of white nodules. Histopathological examination of the ovarian parenchyma showed proliferation of cuboidal epithelial cells with numerous mitotic figures. The solid sheets of neoplastic cells in fibro-vascular stroma with several concentric layers of calcified tissue (psamoma bodies) were evident in the ovarian parenchyma. The regional lymph nodes also revealed metastatic adenocarcinomatous lesions replacing the lymphoid tissuewith proliferating cuboidal neoplastic epithelial cells. Patho-morphological diagnosis was done based on the features of metastasis, extensive proliferation and mitotic figures asthecoma and metastatic adenocarcinoma of ovary which is very rare findings in domestic animals.

Patho-morphological study of a spontaneous case of mycotic pneumonia in sheep

Mycotic pneumonia was diagnosed in a three months old lamb based on gross, histopathology and special staining studies. Clinically, the animal was apparently healthy but on post-mortem examination, lungs revealed small, multiple, coalescing nodules embedded in the parenchyma. Histological sections of lungs revealed diffuse necrotic and granulomatous inflammation with numerous, branched filamentous PAS positive fungal hyphae surrounded by lymphocytes and neutrophils. This finding is confirmatory in the diagnosis of multifocal embolic mycotic pneumonia with intralesional identification of aseptate branched fungal hyphae characteristic to Zygomycetes spp. from histological sections of lungs in absence of isolation and other confirmatory tests.