During post mortem examination of a  wild male adult Bengal Tiger of Pirkhali of Sundarban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India,Toxocara cati and Taenia hydatigena was observed in the stomach and intestine

B. Dutta

J. Mukherjee

Malay Mitra

Shivaji Bhattacharya

U. Mondal

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184Exploratory Animal and Medical Research, Vol.2, Issue -II, December, 2012Helminthasis is common in wild animals butreport on both Toxocara cati and Teaniahydatigena infestation in Bengal Tiger(Panthera tigris tigris) from wild nature isscanty. Many parasites have a broad host rangeand are a threat in mixed species exhibits(Miller and Fowler 2012). Studies on captivetigers have also been done (Garner et al. 1996,Jakob and Wesemeier  1996)  however, little isknown about parasites of wild Panthera tigristigris (Mandal and Choudhury 1985, Patton andRabinowitz  1994,  Marathe et al. 2002).A wild male adult Bengal Tiger was observedlying alive on forest floor in core area nearPirkhali of  Sundarban Tiger Reserve, WestBengal, India, about 100 feet away from riverbank since noon on 9th  June, 2012 with thesymptoms of severe weakness, unable to standproperly, staggering gait along with dull anddepressed appearance. Its reflexes were poorand not interested to take food. Ultimately thebig cat succumbed at that night.The male tiger was aged about 16 yearshaving body weight 72 kg, length (tip of thenostril to end of the tail) 2 m 52 cm, height 93cm. The carcass was emaciated, dehydrated,having rough hair coat, shrunken eyes and therewas no external injury (Fig.1) except somelacerated superficial wounds on inner side ofthigh and abdomen. Teeth including canineswere broken, eroded and having caries in someof them. Stomatitis in upper palate andgingivitis were also observed along withretracted claws.Postmortem examination revealed anaemicmucous membrane and liver was slightlyenlarged, mottled, congested partly withmilliary necrotic foci (Fig.2). Heart was slightlyenlarged with thickening of heart muscles.Kidneys were congested, hard withhemorrhagic lesions in cortico-medullaryjunction. Mesenteric lymph nodes werehyperemic. A plenty of live round worms werepresent in stomach (Fig.3) and duodenum andShort  CommunicationHELMINTHIASIS IN A BENGAL TIGER(PANTHERA TIGRIS TIGRIS)- A CASE  REPORT Shivaji  Bhattacharya1,  B. Dutta,  U. Mondal2,   J. Mukherjee  and  Malay Mitra______________________________________________________________________________Institute of Animal Health & Veterinary  Biologicals(R&T),  37, Belgachia Road , Kolkata - 700037,West Bengal, India.1 Assistant Director, ARD, New Secretariat Building, 1, K. S. Roy Road, Kolkata - 700001, West Bengal,India.2 Veterinary Officer, Sundarban Tiger Reserve, Canning, South 24 Parganas , West Bengal, India.Explor. Anim. Med. Res.,  Vol.2, Issue - II, 2012, p.  184-188 ISSN  2277- 470X (Print)ISSN 2319-247X (Online)185Fig.1: Physical observation of dead tigerbefore PM.Fig.2: Gross-pathological changes of deadtiger during PM.Fig.3: Toxocara cati  found in stomach ofdead tiger.Fig.4: Teania hydatigena  in intestine of tiger.Fig.5: Toxocara cati  obtained from intestineof tiger. Fig.6: Teania hydatigena  obtained fromintestine of tiger.Helminthiasis in  a Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) - a case  report186Exploratory Animal and Medical Research, Vol.2, Issue -II, December, 2012few tape worms were found in ileum (Fig.4).Altogether there were 121 numbers of roundworms and 07 numbers of long tape worms.Intestinal mucous membrane was inflammedand thickened sporadically with presence ofsemi-digested faecal materials.Histopathological examination revealedchronic interstitial hepatitis and fibrosis in liver,exudative pneumonia in lung, oedema andinfarction in heart, chronic interstitial nephritisin kidney and focal cholecystitis in gall bladder.Microscopical examination of impressionsmear of different tissues like liver, heart,kidney did not revealed any specific bacterialorganism. Culturally, it was also found negativefor any specific bacterial growth on blood agarand nutrient agar media.Microscopical examination of the faecalmaterials revealed few spherical eggs and shellswere markedly pitted ( Rao et al. 2002),diameter of the eggs were 65 - 75 µm and  feweggs were oval and measuring 36 -39 µm by31-35 (Soulsby  2005) which wereindistinguishable from the eggs of Toxocaraspp. and Taenia spp. respectively.Parasites were identified according to sizeand morphology of the forms present in faeces(Hartwich 1974, Khalil et al. 1994,  Bowman1995) and in G.I tract. Detail morphologicalstudy revealed all the round worms wereindistinguishable from Toxocara  cati.  Thecervical alae were very broad and are striated.The males were 3 - 6 cm and females were4 - 10 cm long (Fig.5). The spicules were 1.63- 2.08 mm long (Soulsby 2005).  Detailmorphological study revealed that all tapeworms were indistinguishable from Taeniahydatigena. Measurements were made ongravid worm, scolex, rostellum, sucker, andlarge and small rostellar hooks of adult Taeniahydatigena (Edwards and Herbert 1981).Adults were 75 - 500 cm long having two rowsof 26 and 46 rostellar hooks (Fig.6). Gravidproglottids measured about 12 mm by 6 mmand uterus had 6 to 10 lateral branches (Soulsby2005).Toxocara cati is a worldwide parasite thatoccurs in the small intestine of felids and occursalso in humans, causing the disease referred asvisceral or ocular larva migrans. Toxocara spp.infestation in Indian Tiger in high altitude zooin Darjeeling, West Bengal was reported byPradhan et al. (2011). The higher prevalenceof Toxocara cati was reported in Siberian tigerby Gonza´ lez et al. (2007). Toxocara catiinfestation with other helminthic infestationwas reported by Shirbhate (2008). Toxocaracati along with Taenia spp. infestation inleopard was also reported by Youssefi et al.(2010).Taenia hydatigena is cosmopolitan indistribution and occurs in small intestine ofdogs, wolves and other wild carnivores.Among the many metacestodes recognized inthis country, most commonly known one inwild ruminants are the larval metacestodes ofTaenia hydatigena  (Cysticercus tenuicollis) inthe liver of the deer (Rao et al. 2003). Theintermediate hosts are domestic and wildruminants, particularly sheep and pig may alsobe infected (Soulsby  2005). In Sundarban ofWest Bengal, spotted deer and wild boar aremajor prey base of tiger. Prey animalsoccupying the Sundarban tiger niche are theCheetal (Spotted deer, Axis axis), wild pig (Susscrofa) and Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulata)among other large animals (Bhattacharya2001). Taenia hydatigena was reported from alion in Nigeria that had originated from theLeipzig Zoological Gardens, Germany, where187it had been fed raw goat meat (Ogungbade andOgunrinade 1984). Tiger may be infected fromwild ruminants and wild boars by feeding ofthem. The understanding of these parasitesfound in wild animals allows us to increase theknowledge about the ecology of wild felids andto establish correct programs of prophylaxis(Gonza´ lez et al. 2007).ACKNOWLEDGEMENTAuthors are thankful to the Director ofAnimal Husbandry & Veterinary Services,West Bengal  and Joint Director, ARD, IAH &VB, Kolkata for providing necessary facilitiesfor this work and Forest department forproviding materials.REFERENCESBhattacharya S.(2001). A report of projecton Eco-husbandry management of tiger in situat Sundarban Tiger researve, West Bengal.NDZWA project work (2000-2001). IVRI.Izatnagar. India. p.13-16.Bowman DD.(1995). Georgis' parasitologyfor veterinarians.  6th edn. W.B. SaundersCompany. 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HELMINTHIASIS IN A BENGAL TIGER (PANTHERA TIGRIS TIGRIS) - A CASE REPORT

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