Epidemiological and clinico-therapeutic studies of strongylosis in elephants

Abstract

Elephants like other herbivores are susceptible to various diseases including internal parasitism. In Nehru Zoological Park (NZP); Hyderabad, clinical records of Asian Elephants for a period of 10 years (1987-1996) were examined to determine the percent incidence of strongylosis in relation to season, age and sex. Faecal samples from elephants of S.V. Dairy Farm (SVD), Tirupathi were also screened from January to June for helminthosis. Eggs per gram of faeces (EPG) was estimated by Stoll's dilution method. Analysis of old records revealed that in NZP strongylosis was predominant in summer (52.63%) and the incidence was lower in animals below 15 years. Seven animals (63.64% and 87.5%) each were tested positive for ova of strongylosis in NZP and SVD respectively. On treatment with oral kalbend the animals completely recovered on the seventh day. The therapy brought down the pretherapeutic mean EPG of 700 +/- 128.89 (SVD) and 671.4 +/- 123.20 (NZP) to 78.57 +/- 30.53 and 50 +/- 21.79 respectively. The animals were monitored up to four weeks after therapy. The study indicates the efficacy of kalbend in the treatment of strongylosis in elephants.