Histopathological identification of histoplasmosis in animals at Dhaka Zoo

Abstract

Dhaka Zoo with 2000 animal heads of 184 species from significant genetic diversity and five million visitors’ influx round the year is placing it a public health important spot. This study was conducted to investigate histoplasmosis in animals at Dhaka Zoo to ascertain animal health, welfare and public health safety standard. One hundred and two necropsied tissue samples preserved in 10% neutral buffered formalin at necropsy from 36 animals of 25 different species were collected from Dhaka Zoo during 2007 - 2009. Twenty five out of 36 study animals were suffering from granulomatous diseases of mycotic and/or bacterial origin. Among them three animals were found suffering from histoplasmosis. Clinical history, nodular lesions from necropsy findings, granulomatous reactions with fungal spores on histopathology; macrophages laden with histoplasma organisms on histopathology and on special staining were revealed histoplasmosis in six rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Present study provides evidence of existing histoplasmosis and similar long standing zoonotic diseases in majority of rest of the animals with health risk that shades health safety standard at Dhaka Zoo.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjvm.v11i2.19145Bangl. J. Vet. Med. (2013). 11 (2):177-181

Emerging Animal-Associated Fungal Diseases

“…A wide range of mammalian hosts including bears, monkeys, apes and several felines have also been reported with H. capsulatum infection [ 81 ]. Teixeira et al [ 73 ] found that isolates of H. capsulatum from specific mammalian hosts formed monophyletic clades, suggesting that mammals play a key role in the diversification (e.g., strains) and the mechanism by which the fungus disperses.…”