title: Chronic endometritis in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).
abstract: A 48-yr-old female Asian elephant with a history of pododermatitis developed recurrent hematuria beginning in 2002. Transrectal ultrasonography and endoscopic examination in 2004 identified the uterus as the source of hematuria and excluded hemorrhagic cystitis. Treatment with Desloreline implants, antibiotics, and homeopathic drugs led to an improved general condition of the elephant. In July 2005, the elephant was suddenly found dead. During necropsy, the severely enlarged uterus contained about 250 L of purulent fluid, and histopathology revealed ulcerative suppurative endometritis with high numbers of Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus and Escherichia coli identified on aerobic culture. Additional findings at necropsy included: multifocal severe pododermatitis, uterine leiomyoma, and numerous large calcified areas of abdominal fat necrosis. Microbiologic culture of the pododermatitis lesion revealed the presence of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus, Staphylococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., and Entercoccus sp.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Veterinär-Pathologie, An den Tierkliniken 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany. aupperle@rz.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Aupperle
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reischauer
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bach
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hildebrandt
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Göritz
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scheller
authors.forename: Hans-Jörg
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Klaue
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Schoon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004606:Elephants; D004716:Endometritis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D006417:Hematuria / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D018231:Leiomyomatosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D018502:Streptococcus equi / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary