| Summary Information |
| Diseases
/
List of Parasitic Diseases
/ Disease summary |
| Alternative Names |
- Gastrodiscus infection
- Hawkesius infection
- Intestinal amphistome infection
- Pseudodiscus infection
- Pfenderius infection
See also:
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| Disease Agents |
Specifically recorded for Elephas maximus
- Asian Elephant:
- Pfenderius sp. (J2.19.w2) [Amphistomida - (Order)]
- Pfenderius papillatus (J379.3.w1,
J381.64.w1,
J379.5.w1)
- In the large intestines of three male elephants in Indonesia;
these have been recorded previously in Asian elephants in India,
Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia and Malaysia. (J381.64.w1)
- In the large intestines, in elephants in the Andemans. (J379.5.w1)
- In domestic elephants in Thailand. (J210.38.w1)
- Pfenderius heterocoeca in the intestines of elephants in the
Andemans. (J379.5.w1)
- Pfenderius birmanicus. From an elephant in Toungoo, Burma. (J379.5.w1)
- Pseudodiscus collinsi (J350.10.w1,
J379.3.w1, J379.5.w1)
- In the colon of elephants in Burma. (J379.5.w1)
- In the caecum of captive elephants at Kaziranga National Park,
Assam, India. (J380.13.w1)
- Pseudodiscus hawkesi (J350.10.w1,
J379.3.w1)
(Amphistoma hawkesi)(B212.w33)
(Hawkesius hawkesi) in the large intestines of three male
elephants in Indonesia; these have been recorded previously in Asian
elephants in India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia and Malaysia. (J381.64.w1)
- Gastrodiscus secundus (J379.3.w1)
- In the caecum of captive elephants at Kaziranga National Park,
Assam, India. (J380.13.w1)
Specifically recorded for Loxodonta africana
- African Elephant:
- Protofasciola robusta.
(J381.71.w1)
- Protofasciola robusta in wild-caught African elephants imported to
the UK (J35.132.w1)
[Fasciolidae - (Family)]
Specifically recorded for Loxodonta cyclotis - Forest Elephant:
- Protofasciola robusta in the small intestine of a freshly
dead elephant at Gobounga Bai, Central African Republic. (J381.71.w1)
Further information on Disease Agents has only been
incorporated for agents recorded in species for which a full Wildpro "Health
and Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature
review has been undertaken). Only those agents with further information available are
linked below:
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| Infectious
Agent(s) |
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| Non-infectious
Agent(s) |
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| Physical
Agent(s) |
--
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| General
Description |
In Elephants:
Elephas maximus
- Asian Elephant:
-
Intestinal flukes may be found in the large intestine. (B212.w33)
-
Pfenderius sp. flukes (Amphistomida - (Order))
were found post mortem in the
stomach, colon and caecum of a captive young elephant that died of Salmonellosis. (J2.19.w2)
Loxodonta africana
- African Elephant:
Clinical signs:
- Localised (around the umbilical area) or more generalised ventral abdominal oedema. (J35.132.w1)
- Poor condition. (J35.132.w1)
- Poor appetite. (J35.132.w1)
- Diarrhoea
may occur and can be severe and persistent with severe infection, with
large numbers of flukes passed in the faeces. (B212.w33)
- Severe diarrhoea can be fatal in young elephants and in adult
elephants in a poor state of health. (B212.w33)
- Inappetance and diarrhoea were noted in one elephant with a mixed
infection of amphistomes and strongyles in India. (J379.62.w1)
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| Further Information |
-
In the imported African elephants, it was considered probable that captivity and malnutrition may have
increased the effect of the flukes on the elephants. (J35.132.w1)
-
In elephants in Kerala, which were treated with anthelmintics (albendazole 2.5 mg/ kg orally)
yearly, amphistome eggs were present in three of 44 dung samples
examined in 2000, and in 4/55 samples examined in 2002. (J324.19.w1)
Gross pathology:
- Large intestine (caecum) lesions:
- In one elephant, mucosal oedma, petechiae and ecchymoses and the
presence of adult amphistomes in the intestinal contents. J380.13.w1
- In a second elephant, mucosal oedema, and on the whole of the
mucosal surface, pin-head patches of ulceration(J380.13.w1)
Histopathology:
- Caecum: mild inflammatory changes. (J380.13.w1)
- In the mucosa and submucosa, mild lymphocytic infiltration. (J380.13.w1)
- Tips of villi were focally necrosed and infiltrated by
eosinophils and mononuclear cells. J380.13.w1
- In the submucosa, glandular epithelial cells were desquamated,
with small clumps of cells forming and pyknotic changes in the
nuclei.
Diagnosis/Investigations:
- Faecal examination for detection and
identification of trematode eggs. (J35.132.w1)
- In three elephants, 350 - 450 eggs per gram (EPG) were found. (J379.62.w1)
- Detection of flukes (1/4 to 7/16 inch long) in faeces. (B212.w33)
Treatment:
- Rafoxanide 3 mg/kg (about half the recommended dose rate for cattle)
orally in food (maize gruel with added sugar), repeated after seven days, appeared to treat the Protofasciola robusta
infection, as indicated by the disappearance of fluke eggs from
the elephants' faeces and improvements in appetite and condition. (J35.132.w1)
- Mebendazole
6 - 7 mg/kg bodyweight. Pfenderius papillatus were found in the
faeces at 36-72 hours, and no or very few eggs were found in faeces at
four days after treatment of Elephas maximus
- Asian Elephant. (J210.38.w1)
- Fenbendazole
5 mg/kg orally as a single dose appeared effective, reducing
faecal egg counts to zero by seven (two elephants) or 14 (one
elephant) days. (J379.62.w1)
Control:
- Faecal examination for parasites should be performed at least once a
year. More frequent examinations are recommended in endemic areas. (B450.5.w5)
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| Associated Techniques |
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| Host taxa groups /species |
Further information on Host species has only
been incorporated for species groups for which a full Wildpro "Health and
Management" module has been completed (i.e. for which a comprehensive literature
review has been undertaken).
(List does not contain all other species groups affected by this
disease)
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