Asian Pac J Trop Biomed 4(Suppl 1): S62-S65

Fatal hemorrhagic-necrotizing pancreatitis associated with pancreatic and hepatic lipidosis in an obese Asian palm civet (<em>Paradoxurus hermaphroditus</em>)

Comments The work sounds like interesting and it was basic work for the research. We could learn the pathological changes about pancreatitis in a palm civet from the paper. Moreover, the author thought diet and overweight might be the key causes for the disease. The research deserved our attentions. Details on Page S64

*Corresponding author: Bongiovanni Laura, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, piazza Aldo Moro, 45–64100 Teramo, Italy. Tel: 0039 0861266890, E-mail: ti.etinu@innavoignob

Received 2014 Jan 26; Accepted 2014 Mar 2.

Abstract

Asian palm civets (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus), or toddy cats, belong to the family Viverridae. Little is known about the pathology of these animals and few articles have been published, mainly concerning their important role as wild reservoir hosts for severe infectious diseases of domestic animals and human beings. A 4-year-old, female Asian palm civet was found dead by the owner. At necropsy, large amount of adipose tissue was found in the subcutis and in the peritoneal cavity. Most of the pancreas appeared red, translucent. Hepatomegaly, discoloration of the liver were evident, with multifocal areas of degeneration, characterized by white nodular lesions. Histologically, the pancreas showed severe interstitial and perilobular necrosis and extensive haemorrhages, with separation of the interstitium, mild reactive inflammation at the periphery of the pancreatic lobules. Liver showed multifocal foci of vacuolar degeneration, lipidic accumulation, sometimes associated to hepatocyte necrosis. A diagnosis of acute severe hemorrhagic-necrotizing pancreatitis (or acute pancreatic necrosis) associated with pancreatic and hepatic lipidosis was made. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first case report of acute lethal pancreatitis in an Asian palm civet. Although the exact cause of the disease remains undetermined, a hypothesis of the cause and pathogenesis is discussed, pointing out dietary indiscretion and consequent overweight as possible important risk factors.

Keywords: Necrotizing pancreatitis, Civet, Viverridae, Diet

Abstract

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Marina Baffoni for the technical support.

Acknowledgments

Notes

Comments

Background

Asian palm civet is an important animal as wild reservoir of many infectious diseases such as rabies, severe acute respiratory syndrome, avian influenza virus, parvovirosis and so on. However, there was little knowledge about histological and pathological changes of pancreatitis about it.

Research frontiers

This paper is the first case report on acute lethal pancreatitis in an Asian palm civet and the author described its necropsy and histological changes in detail. Meanwhile, it pointed out that dietary indiscretion and overweight might be the important risk factors.

Related reports

Asian palm civets normally live in primary forests, parks and suburban gardens with mature fruit trees. Takashi Matsumoto et al. (2011) reported that a novel sylvatic rabies virus variant was detected in a golden palm civet in Sri Lanka and the virus diverged from canine rabies viruses.

Innovations and breakthroughs

This is the first case report of acute lethal pancreatitis in an Asian palm civet and it could teach us to know some pathological knowledge on the civet.

Applications

From the paper, we could know something about lethal pancreatitis in a palm civet and it facilitated the diagnosis in the near future.

Peer review

The work sounds like interesting and it was basic work for the research. We could learn the pathological changes about pancreatitis in a palm civet from the paper. Moreover, the author thought diet and overweight might be the key causes for the disease. The research deserved our attentions.

Notes

Footnotes

Conflict of interest statement: We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Footnotes

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