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Muhangi D, Gardiner CH, Ojok L, Cranfield MR, Gilardi KVK, Mudakikwa AB, Lowenstine LJ. Pathological lesions of the digestive tract in free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23290. [PMID: 34096629 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The finding of parasites and bacterial pathogens in mountain gorilla feces and oral lesions in gorilla skeletal remains has not been linked to pathological evidence of morbidity or mortality. In the current study, we conducted a retrospective study of digestive tracts including oral cavity, salivary glands, esophagus, stomach, intestines (gastrointestinal tract [GI]), liver, and pancreas of 60 free-ranging mountain gorillas from Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo that died between 1985 and 2007. We reviewed clinical histories and gross pathology reports and examined histological sections. On histology, enteritis (58.6%), gastritis (37.3%), and colitis (29.3%) were the commonest lesions in the tracts. Enteritis and colitis were generally mild, and judged likely to have been subclinical. Gastritis was often chronic and proliferative or ulcerative, and associated with nematodiasis. A gastro-duodenal malignancy (carcinoid) was present in one animal. A number of incidental lesions were identified throughout the tract and cestodes and nematodes were frequently observed grossly and/or histologically. Pigmentation of teeth and tongue were a common finding, but periodontitis and dental attrition were less common than reported from past studies of skeletal remains. Despite observing numerous GI lesions and parasites in this study of deceased free-living mountain gorillas, we confirmed mortality attributable to gastroenteritis in just 8% (5/60) cases, which is less than that described in captive gorillas. Other deaths attributed to digestive tract lesions included cleft palate in an infant, periodontal disease causing systemic infection in an older adult and gastric cancer. Of all the parasitic infections observed, only hepatic capillariasis and gastric nematodiasis were significantly associated with lesions (hepatitis and gastritis, respectively). Understanding GI lesions in this endangered species is key in the management of morbidity associated with GI ailments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denis Muhangi
- Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Resources Management, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Chris H Gardiner
- Veterinary Pathology Service, Joint Pathology Center, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Lonzy Ojok
- School of Biolaboratory Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda.,Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Gulu University, Gulu, Uganda
| | - Michael R Cranfield
- Gorilla Doctors, MGVP, Inc. and Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | - Kirsten V K Gilardi
- Gorilla Doctors, MGVP, Inc. and Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
| | | | - Linda J Lowenstine
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, California, USA
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Ito A, Eckardt W, Stoinski TS, Gillespie TR, Tokiwa T. Three new Prototapirella species, Opisthotrichum janus, and Troglocorys cava add to Entodiniomorphida (Ciliophora, Trichostomatia) diversity in mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Eur J Protistol 2020; 76:125738. [PMID: 32916436 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2020.125738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recently, a high number of Entodiniomorphida species was discovered in Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Rwanda compared to other primates. Thirteen species of five genera (Troglocorys, Gorilloflasca, Prototapirella, Troglodytella, and Opisthotrichum) were identified with 10 species in Gorilloflasca, Prototapirella, and Troglodytella being host-specific, to our current knowledge. The remaining three species have been described for other herbivorous mammals; Prototapirella gorillae for western lowland gorillas; Troglocorys cava for western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, and guinea baboons; Opisthotrichum janus in the family Ophryoscolecidae is regarded as specific to African antelopes. Here, we show the first indication that wild herbivorous hindgut fermenting mammals might have rumen ophryoscolecids in the intestine sympatric with their native intestinal ciliates. We also describe three new Prototapirella species, P. sabyinyo, P. sulcata, and P. curiosa. The somatic ciliary zones of the three new species are atypical of Prototapirella while their buccal infraciliature is not different from that of other Prototapirella species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Ito
- Ookusa Animal Clinic, Ookusa 503, Matsue, Shimane 690-0032, Japan.
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA; Department of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Emory University and Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, USA
| | | | - Thomas R Gillespie
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Environmental Health, Emory University and Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, USA
| | - Toshihiro Tokiwa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan
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3
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Ito A, Eckardt W, Stoinski TS, Gillespie TR, Tokiwa T. Three new Troglodytella and a new Gorilloflasca ciliates (Entodiniomorphida) from mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei ) in Rwanda. Eur J Protistol 2018; 65:42-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2018.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Revised: 05/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Ito A, Eckardt W, Stoinski TS, Gillespie TR, Tokiwa T. Gorilloflasca africana n.g., n.sp., (Entodiniomorphida) from wild habituated Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Rwanda. Eur J Protistol 2017; 60:68-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejop.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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