Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

This paper describes the in vivo Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) technique by endoscopy in tapirs (Tapirus terrestris) with clinical signs of tuberculosis. The technique was performed in two tapirs, male and female, from Curitiba Zoo, Paraná, Brazil. A flexible endoscope and a polyethylene catheter were used after the chemical restraint of the animals. For BAL technique, 60mL of saline 0.9% were infused with a polyethylene catheter, introduced by the endoscope's working channel, and 15mL of BAL were recovered, analyzed and submitted to cytocentrifugation. Slides were stained by Papanicolaou, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and Ziehl-Neelsen methods contained high quantity of inflammatory cells on light microscopy (macrophages 27.5%, lymphocytes 0.5%, neutrophis 67% and eosinophis 5%). BAL samples were submitted to culture, bacilloscopy and PCR and were negative for both animals. Based on this study, it was concluded that the bronchoalveolar lavage technique in tapirs is feasible, simple, noninvasive, practical and fast, providing an important clinical information in vivo regarding the functional status of the lower respiratory tract.

Clinical outcome and diagnostic methods of atypical mycobacteriosis due toMycobacterium aviumssp.hominissuisin a group of captive lowland tapirs (Tapirus terrestris)

“…There are several cases of tuberculosis in tapirs described in the literature, mostly due to members of the MTC such as M. bovis or M. tuberculosis . The clinical signs vary from non‐specific, for example weight loss, to severe respiratory disorders such as coughing, fast breathing and dyspnoea (Biava et al., 2014; Kaewamatawong et al., 2010; Mangini, Medici, & Fernandes‐Santos, 2012; Murakami et al., 2012; Pereira et al 2018). To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes clinical signs of an infection with the atypical mycobacterium MAH in tapirs.…”

“…(2011) describe an infection of Malayan tapirs with M. pinnipedii . Mycobacteriosis in tapirs is a protracted disease, and clinical signs vary from non‐specific to progressive respiratory disease (Biava et al., 2014; Zimmermann & Hernandez, 2012). Ante mortem diagnostic testing is always a challenge; therefore, multiple methods should be applied to confirm positive cases (Jurczynski et al., 2011).…”