Pattern of pulmonary lesions in some wildlife rodents and duikers in Ghana

Abstract

Respiratory disease has been presumed as a limiting factor in the domestication of some wild rodents; however, there is dearth of information on the pattern and burden of pulmonary lesions in these animals especially in West Africa where they are delicacies. A total of 96 rodents including 48 giant rats, 28 cane rats, 5 squirels and 15 duikers acquired from game meat market in Kumasi, Ghana were investigated for lung lesions. The lungs were observed macroscopically for distribution of consolidation and sections were further processed for microscopic evaluation using standard techniques. Results showed that 56 (58%) of lung samples had lesions with higher prevalence in giant rats than duiker. The young and male animals were observed to be more affected. Microscopic changes in the lung include pulmonary congestion, interstitial pneumonia, bronchopneumonia and atelectasis. The knowledge of the pattern of pneumonia in wildlife rodents and duikers calls for the need for a national surveillance on the nature of respiratory diseases of wildlife and it also may inform choices of conservational policies on these animals. .

Keyword: Lung, Pneumonia, Rodents, Duiker, Ghana, Nigeria