Liver: cholangitis, severe, multifocal, chronic-active, hyperplastic and eosinophilic with fibrosis and intralesional nematodes
Animal: Aye-Aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), 12 years, male
Diagnosis: Liver: cholangitis, severe, multifocal, chronic-active, hyperplastic and eosinophilic with fibrosis and intralesional nematodes
Description: The Aye-Aye was found dead after a history of 5 years recurrent episodes of anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, fever, and abdominal pain. Macroscopically, the liver presented with multifocal, bulging nodules and irregular, fibrous thickening of bile ducts. High numbers of nematodes of maximal 20 cm in length and 5 mm in diameter were present in the small intestine and gallbladder. Histopathology revealed a severe chronic-active multifocal eosinophilic and fibrosing cholangiohepatitis with prominent bile duct hyperplasia. Parasitologists identified maw worms (Ascaris lumbricoides).
Comments: Ascaridiosis is primarily a problem in humans, monkeys and pigs. Adult worms live in the small intestine. The second larvae migrate to the liver, hatch and develop to the third larvae. Previous repeated treatment with Ivermectin turned out to be ineffective.
Picture by: Anja Ostrowski, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
Author: Lydia König, Department of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany