Gross and histopathological lesions associated with tuberculosis in two sloth bears (Melursus ursinus) in India

Post-mortem examination of two sloth bears which died in Bannerghatta Bear Rescue Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, were performed. Both the animals were anorectic and had considerable weight loss before death. Representative lung tissue samples were subjected to histopathology and staining. The lung tissues of the animals had diffuse congestion and subpleural petechial hemorrhages. In addition, small nodules of varied diameters were seen scattered on the lung lobes of both animals. On histopathological examination, the lung tissue of one of the animals showed extensive proliferation of blood vessels. Congestion and subpleural hemorrhages were seen in both cases. Few macrophages and epithelioid cells were seen scattered adjacent to a bronchiole. Kinyoun’s acid fast staining of the histological sections revealed numerous acid fast bacilli indicative of tuberculosis.

Relocation of a GPS collared conflict Sloth Bear Melursus ursinus (Mammalia: Carnivora) in Karnataka, India

The relocation of conflict bears has been a tool used widely across the United States and Canada with mixed results. It has also been used in India with Sloth Bears, though without follow-up it remains unknown how successful these relocation efforts have been. We documented the capture and relocation of a conflict female Sloth Bear from a rural area near Bangalore, Karnataka, India to Bannerghatta National Park roughly 30km away. This female bear, approximately six years old, was fitted with a VHF/GPS store-on-board collar, and her movements tracked. She did not attempt to return to her capture location but during the first two-month period after being released she did roam over an area roughly six times that of typical female Sloth Bear home range. Over the subsequent months the area over which she roamed continued to decline. She was least active mid-day and more active in the evening, night, and early morning. During her last few weeks in January, before she was killed by an explosive device just outside of the park, her movement pattern shrank considerably. The post-mortem examination showed that she had been pregnant when killed and would have given birth within the next two weeks. These reduced movements were consistent with those of periparturient female bears or potentially with a bear becoming more acclimated to her new surroundings. The relocation effort appeared successful up until the Sloth Bear was killed by poacher activity.

Multi-drug Resistant (MDR), Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase (ESBL) and New Delhi Metallo Beta-lactamase (NDM) Producing Escherichia Coli in Rescued Sloth Bears (Melursus Ursinus), India

The study reports the MDR, ESBL, and NDM producing Escherichia coli (CRE) isolated from the rescued sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), India. The faecal samples of adult rescued sloth bear (n=21) were collected from a rescue center located in India during 2015-2016 and processed for isolation and antibacterial susceptibility pattern of E. coli. 45E. coli isolates were recovered, and on phenotypic screening, 23 were MDR, 17 were ESBL producers, and five were carbapenem-resistant (CR). The MDR isolates carried beta-lactamase, chloramphenicol, aminoglycosides, tetracycline, fluroquinone, and sulphadimidine resistance genes. All the phenotypic ESBL producing isolates had blaCTX-M genes. On genotypic screening, three CRE (60.0 %, 3/5) were positive for blaNDM carbapenemase gene. Efflux pump-mediated carbapenem resistance was noticed in two CRE isolates (40.0 %, 2/5).The CRE also isolates co-harbored AMR genes like blaTEM-1, blaAmpC, qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, tetA, tetB and sulI. Virulence screening of the resistant isolates revealed the presence of Stx1, Stx2, eae, hlyA genes.Plasmid incompatibility (Inc) typesof three NDM positive isolates revealed that two isolates blaNDM-5 gene on Incl1 an one isolate on IncF plasmid. Apart from NDM genes, the plasmids also carried tetracycline, beta-lactamase and quinolone resistance genes. The plasmid multilocus sequence typing (pMLST) of the E. coli Incl1 plasmid showed the Sequence Type (ST) 297.This appears to be the first report of multi-drug resistant, extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing and blaNDM-5geneson Incl1 and IncF plasmids in rescued sloth bear.

Surgical Management of Bilateral Epulides in a Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) at Nandankanan Zoological Park

Background: Epulides, tumors of periodontal origin, are commonly reported in dogs and infrequently in cats. But its documentation among wild animals is scarce. Retrospective study of the available literature did not find any report of epulis in sloth bears, though dental pathology is common in captive sloth bears. The present study depicts the details about an incidence of bilateral epulides in a captive sloth bear of Nandankanan Zoological Park, Bhubaneswar, India and its successful surgical management.Methods: A male sloth bear aged about 15 years, developed bilateral swellings at the upper jaw, protruding out of the oral cavity, impeding with its normal feeding and drinking. Close physical examination under general anaesthesia revealed that the swellings are bilateral epulides at the upper jaw involving canines of both sides. The epulides were surgically excised, histopathology of the excised mass was conducted and a course of antibiotic treatment was followed.Result: The epulides were found to be of fibromatous and ossifying type. In the present case, there was no recurrence of epulides at the surgical site after their excision and the procedure proved curative. This work is a complementary contribution to the dental pathology study of sloth bears in captivity.