Elephant disease

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albert, a 24-year-old Asian elephant bull at the ABQ BioPark, tested positive for tuberculosis, officials said Tuesday. The BioPark says they first noticed abnormalities in Albert’s routine bloodwork. Then, they collected fluid from his trunk and tested it for TB. While the test came back positive, he isn’t showing any symptoms of the disease. Zoo staff members plan to “rigorously” treat Albert with antibiotics. That will last 12-18 months. The BioPark is not new to treating TB in elephants, either. Irene tested positive for the disease in 2000 and Alice tested positive for the same strain in 2010. Since 2012, each elephant tested negative for the disease. They are still living at the BioPark. Tests will be done to determine if the same strain is affecting Albert. The BioPark says TB testing is a normal part of their elephant care. In fact, elephants are trained to give them samples to test for any traces of TB bacteria. BioPark guests are not at risk of contracting TB from Albert. Staff also undergo testing and will undergo additional testing as a precaution.

When symptoms do occur (often years later), they can lead to extensive disfigurement and disability. These symptoms are permanent and can be so debilitating that they keep people from working. The three most visible and concerning manifestations of lymphatic filariasis are lymphedema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele. Lymphedema While many people use lymphatic filariasis and elephantiasis interchangeably, it's actually lymphedema that gives the appearance of more elephant-like features. Lymphedema is when there is intense fluid collection and swelling in parts of the body, most often in the legs, breasts, or genitals. This inflammation can sometimes be accompanied by fever and be quite painful. Dr_Microbe / Getty Images Transmission Much like malaria, these roundworms spread from person to person through mosquito bites. Several different kinds of mosquito species can transmit the parasite, including Anopheles (which also transmit malaria) and Aedes (which can transmit viruses like dengue and Mosquitoes aren't just carriers, they're also an important part of the worm's life cycle. When the insects bite someone who is infected, they take in the immature larvae of the parasite (called microfilariae). For one to two weeks, the larvae go through a transformation inside the mosquito, and when the bug bites someone else, the now-infective larvae get transferred to the skin and make their way into the body. Once inside, the worms grow into adult worms and cluster in the lymphatic syst...

Overview Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three types of neurofibromatosis: neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis. NF1 is usually diagnosed in childhood, while NF2 and schwannomatosis are usually diagnosed in early adulthood. The tumors in these disorders are usually noncancerous (benign), but sometimes can become cancerous (malignant). Symptoms are often mild. However, complications of neurofibromatosis can include hearing loss, learning impairment, heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems, loss of vision, and severe pain. Neurofibromatosis treatment focuses on encouraging healthy growth and development in children who are affected by the disorder and on early management of complications. When neurofibromatosis causes large tumors or tumors that press on a nerve, surgery can reduce symptoms. Some people may benefit from other therapies, such as stereotactic radiosurgery or medications to control pain. A new medication is available to treat tumors in children, and other new treatments are being developed. • Symptoms There are three types of neurofibromatosis, each with different signs and symptoms. Neurofibromatosis 1 Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is usually diagnosed during childhood. Signs are often noticeable at birth or shortly afterward and almost always by ag...

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus-hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) is an acute fatal disease in elephants. Despite the fact that the underlying pathogenesis of EEHV-HD has been proposed, it remains undetermined as to what mechanisms drive these hemorrhagic and edematous lesions. In the present study, we have investigated and explained the pathogenesis of acute EEHV-HD using blood profiles of EEHV-HD and EEHV-infected cases, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain, special stains, immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It was found that EEHV genomes were predominantly detected in various internal organs of EEHV-HD cases. Damage to endothelial cells, vasculitis and vascular thrombosis of the small blood vessels were also predominantly observed. Increases in platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecules-1 (PECAM-1)- and von Willebrand factor (vWF)-immunolabeling positive cells were significantly noticed in injured blood vessels. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA was significantly up-regulated in EEHV-HD cases when compared to EEHV-negative controls. W...

Elephantiasis is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms that are spread through mosquito bites. The skin gets thick and hard, resembling an elephant’s skin. Although medically known as lymphatic filariasis, the term elephantiasis is commonly used because symptoms include swelling and enlargement of the arms and legs. The Read on to learn more about treating and preventing this neglected tropical disease. Share on Pinterest Elephantiasis may cause swelling of the limbs, breasts, or genitals. Image credit: CDC, (1962). Those who do get symptoms most commonly experience swelling of the: • legs • arms • breasts • genitals People with elephantiasis will have impaired immune function because of damage to their lymph system. They tend to get more bacterial infections of the skin, causing it to become dry, thick, and ulcerated with repeated infections. Other symptoms during these repeated bacterial infections include a The following 3 types of parasitic • Wuchereria bancrofti • Brugia malayi • Brugia timori Wuchereria bancrofti worms cause Brugia malayi causes most of the others. How does the disease spread? Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading the parasites that cause elephantiasis. Firstly, mosquitoes become infected with roundworm larvae when they take a blood meal from an infected human. The mosquitoes then bite someone else, passing the larvae into their bloodstream. Finally, the worm larvae migrate to the lymphatics via the bloodstream and mature in the lymph syste...

Elephantiasis is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms that are spread through mosquito bites. The skin gets thick and hard, resembling an elephant’s skin. Although medically known as lymphatic filariasis, the term elephantiasis is commonly used because symptoms include swelling and enlargement of the arms and legs. The Read on to learn more about treating and preventing this neglected tropical disease. Share on Pinterest Elephantiasis may cause swelling of the limbs, breasts, or genitals. Image credit: CDC, (1962). Those who do get symptoms most commonly experience swelling of the: • legs • arms • breasts • genitals People with elephantiasis will have impaired immune function because of damage to their lymph system. They tend to get more bacterial infections of the skin, causing it to become dry, thick, and ulcerated with repeated infections. Other symptoms during these repeated bacterial infections include a The following 3 types of parasitic • Wuchereria bancrofti • Brugia malayi • Brugia timori Wuchereria bancrofti worms cause Brugia malayi causes most of the others. How does the disease spread? Mosquitoes are responsible for spreading the parasites that cause elephantiasis. Firstly, mosquitoes become infected with roundworm larvae when they take a blood meal from an infected human. The mosquitoes then bite someone else, passing the larvae into their bloodstream. Finally, the worm larvae migrate to the lymphatics via the bloodstream and mature in the lymph syste...

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus-hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) is an acute fatal disease in elephants. Despite the fact that the underlying pathogenesis of EEHV-HD has been proposed, it remains undetermined as to what mechanisms drive these hemorrhagic and edematous lesions. In the present study, we have investigated and explained the pathogenesis of acute EEHV-HD using blood profiles of EEHV-HD and EEHV-infected cases, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain, special stains, immunohistochemistry, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). It was found that EEHV genomes were predominantly detected in various internal organs of EEHV-HD cases. Damage to endothelial cells, vasculitis and vascular thrombosis of the small blood vessels were also predominantly observed. Increases in platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecules-1 (PECAM-1)- and von Willebrand factor (vWF)-immunolabeling positive cells were significantly noticed in injured blood vessels. The expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA was significantly up-regulated in EEHV-HD cases when compared to EEHV-negative controls. W...

Overview Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There are three types of neurofibromatosis: neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis. NF1 is usually diagnosed in childhood, while NF2 and schwannomatosis are usually diagnosed in early adulthood. The tumors in these disorders are usually noncancerous (benign), but sometimes can become cancerous (malignant). Symptoms are often mild. However, complications of neurofibromatosis can include hearing loss, learning impairment, heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) problems, loss of vision, and severe pain. Neurofibromatosis treatment focuses on encouraging healthy growth and development in children who are affected by the disorder and on early management of complications. When neurofibromatosis causes large tumors or tumors that press on a nerve, surgery can reduce symptoms. Some people may benefit from other therapies, such as stereotactic radiosurgery or medications to control pain. A new medication is available to treat tumors in children, and other new treatments are being developed. • Symptoms There are three types of neurofibromatosis, each with different signs and symptoms. Neurofibromatosis 1 Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) is usually diagnosed during childhood. Signs are often noticeable at birth or shortly afterward and almost always by ag...

When symptoms do occur (often years later), they can lead to extensive disfigurement and disability. These symptoms are permanent and can be so debilitating that they keep people from working. The three most visible and concerning manifestations of lymphatic filariasis are lymphedema, elephantiasis, and hydrocele. Lymphedema While many people use lymphatic filariasis and elephantiasis interchangeably, it's actually lymphedema that gives the appearance of more elephant-like features. Lymphedema is when there is intense fluid collection and swelling in parts of the body, most often in the legs, breasts, or genitals. This inflammation can sometimes be accompanied by fever and be quite painful. Dr_Microbe / Getty Images Transmission Much like malaria, these roundworms spread from person to person through mosquito bites. Several different kinds of mosquito species can transmit the parasite, including Anopheles (which also transmit malaria) and Aedes (which can transmit viruses like dengue and Mosquitoes aren't just carriers, they're also an important part of the worm's life cycle. When the insects bite someone who is infected, they take in the immature larvae of the parasite (called microfilariae). For one to two weeks, the larvae go through a transformation inside the mosquito, and when the bug bites someone else, the now-infective larvae get transferred to the skin and make their way into the body. Once inside, the worms grow into adult worms and cluster in the lymphatic syst...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Albert, a 24-year-old Asian elephant bull at the ABQ BioPark, tested positive for tuberculosis, officials said Tuesday. The BioPark says they first noticed abnormalities in Albert’s routine bloodwork. Then, they collected fluid from his trunk and tested it for TB. While the test came back positive, he isn’t showing any symptoms of the disease. Zoo staff members plan to “rigorously” treat Albert with antibiotics. That will last 12-18 months. The BioPark is not new to treating TB in elephants, either. Irene tested positive for the disease in 2000 and Alice tested positive for the same strain in 2010. Since 2012, each elephant tested negative for the disease. They are still living at the BioPark. Tests will be done to determine if the same strain is affecting Albert. The BioPark says TB testing is a normal part of their elephant care. In fact, elephants are trained to give them samples to test for any traces of TB bacteria. BioPark guests are not at risk of contracting TB from Albert. Staff also undergo testing and will undergo additional testing as a precaution.