Seasonal Effects on Body Condition and Characteristics of the Estrous Cycle in Captive Asian Elephants () in Thailand: A Retrospective Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of season on the body condition score (BCS), the characteristics of the estrous cycle (luteal phase [LPL], follicular phase [FPL], estrous cycle [ECL] lengths, and the start of the luteal phase [SLP] and follicular phase [SFP]), and progesterone levels (baseline and peak) of eight captive Asian elephants () in Thailand. From 2014 to 2019, blood samples were collected weekly for serum progesterone enzyme immunoassays (EIAs). Estrous cycles ( = 70), including the luteal and follicular phases, and BCS ( = 70) were recorded.

Variability of gait characteristics in lameness elephant.

Lameness has a significant impact not only on the economy but also on elephant welfare. Several gait characteristics are altered to compensate for the discomfort. The traditional approach to detecting lameness has relied on mahout and veterinarian observation.

Dexmedetomidine Effectively Sedates Asian Elephants ().

This study investigated the sedative effects of dexmedetomidine in Asian elephants. We hypothesized that 2 µg/kg dexmedetomidine would provide sufficient standing sedation. A crossover design study was performed in three Asian elephants.

Development of Nonstructural Protein-Based Indirect ELISA to Identify Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV) Infection in Asian Elephants ().

Disease caused by elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) infection is the most highly fatal hemorrhagic disease in Asian elephant calves worldwide. To date, adult elephants that have been infected with EEHV have predominantly displayed mild clinical signs, while they are believed to serve as EEHV shedders to other elephants. Hence, the diagnostic tools employed for monitoring EEHV-active infection are considered vitally important.

Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Is a Biomarker of Testosterone Production and Intact Acrosome in Asian Elephants ().

The objective of this study was to find relationships among serum IGF-1, serum testosterone, seminal plasma IGF-1 concentrations and semen parameters in Asian elephants (). A total of 17 ejaculates (one to three ejaculates/bull) were collected from seven captive elephant bulls by performing rectal massage. Before each ejaculation, blood samples were obtained for serum IGF-1 and testosterone assays.

Clinical characteristics of elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) cases in Asian elephants () in Thailand during 2006-2019.

Background: Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus causes a hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) that is a major cause of death in juvenile Asian elephants with EEHV1 and EEHV4 being the most prevalent.

Aim: To perform a retrospective clinical data analysis.

Methods: Records of a total of 103 cases in Thailand confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on blood and/or tissue samples.

Serological study on brucellosis in captive elephants () and stray dogs in North Thailand.

Background And Aim: Brucellosis is considered as an important zoonotic disease caused by various strains of in numerous host species. Although brucellosis has been reported in almost animal species, the relevance of brucellosis infection and diagnostic technique in Asian elephant () has been limited. The present serological investigation aimed to investigate the antibody response to in captive Asian elephants in North Thailand.

Subclinical infection of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Thailand with elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) infection is a conservation threat to the endangered Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), causing fatal hemorrhagic disease in juvenile elephants throughout the world, including Thailand. This study revealed a subclinical EEHV1 infection rate of 5.5% in healthy captive Asian elephants in Thailand (n = 362).

Management factors affecting adrenal glucocorticoid activity of tourist camp elephants in Thailand and implications for elephant welfare.

Elephant camps are among the most popular destinations in Thailand for tourists from many countries. A wide range of management strategies are used by these camps, which can have varied impacts on health and welfare of elephants. The objectives of this study were to examine relationships between FGM (fecal glucocorticoid metabolite) concentrations and camp management factors (work routine, walking, restraint, rest area, foraging), and to other welfare indicators (stereotypic behaviors, body condition, foot health, and skin wounds).

Survival analysis of confirmed elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus cases in Thailand from 2006 - 2018.

The elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) has been a known cause of death of young elephants in Thailand for over a decade. In this study, we report on the demography, disease characteristics and mortality of 58 elephants with confirmed EEHV hemorrhagic disease between January 2006 and August 2018 using retrospective data subjected to survival analysis. Median age of EEHV presentation was 29 months, and the mortality rate was 68.

Evidence of high EEHV antibody seroprevalence and spatial variation among captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Thailand.

Background: Elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV) can cause an acute highly fatal hemorrhagic disease in young Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), both ex situ and in situ. Amongst eight EEHV types described so far, type 1 (subtype 1A and 1B) is the predominant disease-associated type. Little is known about routes of infection and pathogenesis of EEHV, and knowledge of disease prevalence, especially in range countries, is limited.

ELEPHANT ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS ASSOCIATED WITH CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS INFECTION IN TWO ASIAN ELEPHANT ( ELEPHAS MAXIMUS) CALVES.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is an infection associated with fatal hemorrhagic disease in young Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus). This brief communication describes the postmortem evaluation of two Asian elephant calves diagnosed with EEHV4 and EEHV1A in conjunction with Clostridium perfringens infection. Case 1 was a 7-mo-old, male captive-born Asian elephant that developed diarrhea and died 2 days after clinical presentation.

SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF A CLINICAL ELEPHANT ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS INFECTION: THE DYNAMICS OF VIRAL LOAD, GENOTYPE ANALYSIS, AND TREATMENT WITH ACYCLOVIR.

This article describes the treatment of clinical elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) infection in a male Asian elephant ( Elephas maximus; approximately 3 yr old), the dynamics of viral load during the active infection, and genetic analysis of the virus. Treatment included injectable acyclovir (12 mg/kg iv, bid), antibiotic, vitamin, and fluids. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure the viral levels in blood, which decreased continuously after initiation of intravenous acyclovir.

Osteoarthritis in two marine mammals and 22 land mammals: learning from skeletal remains.

The occurrence of osteoarthritis (OA) in marine mammals is still questionable. Here we investigated the prevalence of OA in marine (dolphin and dugong) and terrestrial mammals (Asian elephant, Asiatic buffalo, camel, cat, cattle, deer, dog, domestic goat, horse, human, hyena, impala, lion, Malayan tapir, Assam macaque, mule, pig, rabbit, red kangaroo, sheep, tiger and waterbuck). Skeletal remains obtained from five institutes were used as subjects; a total of 45 different parts (locations) of bones were observed for OA lesions.

Anatomy, histology and elemental profile of long bones and ribs of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).

This study evaluated the morphology and elemental composition of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) bones (humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, fibula and rib). Computerized tomography was used to image the intraosseous structure, compact bones were processed using histological techniques, and elemental profiling of compact bone was conducted using X-ray fluorescence. There was no clear evidence of an open marrow cavity in any of the bones; rather, dense trabecular bone was found in the bone interior.

Osteocalcin and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at different ages.

Bone turnover markers could offer a potential alternative means for the early diagnosis of metabolic bone disease in young growing elephants although the baseline of bone turnover markers in elephant is not well established. The aim of this study was to determine any relationship between the age of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and markers of bone formation. Serum samples from 24 female Asian elephants were collected to evaluate levels of two bone formation markers, namely, osteocalcin (OC) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP).

Risk factors for saddle-related skin lesions on elephants used in the tourism industry in Thailand.

Background: Lesions related to working conditions and improper saddle design are a concern for a variety of working animals including elephants. The objectives of the present study were to determine the prevalence of cutaneous lesions in anatomic regions (i.e.

Diet composition, food intake, apparent digestibility, and body condition score of the captive Asian elephant (Elephas maximus): a pilot study in two collections in Thailand.

Limited data are available regarding the nutrition and feeding of captive Asian elephants in range countries. In this study, feeding regimens of two collections in northern Thailand and their actual diets shaped by availability of forage and mahout preferences were assessed for nutritional quality. The composition of dietary intake, fecal output, and the dietary regimen were individually recorded for 5 days in 10 elephants.

The elephant interferon gamma assay: a contribution to diagnosis of tuberculosis in elephants.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb) has been shown to be the main causative agent of tuberculosis in elephants worldwide. M.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection of domesticated Asian elephants, Thailand.

Four Asian elephants were confirmed to be infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis by bacterial culture, other diagnostic procedures, and sequencing of 16S-23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer region, 16S rRNA, and gyrase B gene sequences. Genotyping showed that the infectious agents originated from 4 sources in Thailand. To identify infections, a combination of diagnostic assays is essential.

Ultrastructural alterations of frozen-thawed Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) spermatozoa.

Intact plasma and acrosome membranes and functional mitochondria following cryopreservation are important attributes for the fertilizing ability of spermatozoa. In the present study, functional and ultrastructural changes of Asian elephant spermatozoa after cryopreservation either in TEST + glycerol or HEPT + dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) were evaluated by fluorescent techniques and electron microscopy. Sperm frozen in TEST + glycerol had higher proportion of sperm with intact plasma (49.

Evaluation of post-thaw Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) spermatozoa using flow cytometry: the effects of extender and cryoprotectant.

Although the development of semen cryopreservation in the African elephants (Loxodonta africana) has been accomplished, effective procedures for cryopreservation of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) spermatozoa have not been established. In the present study, we investigate the freezing methods for conservation of Asian elephant spermatozoa under field conditions and identify the most suitable freezing protocols which provide acceptable post-thaw semen quality. Semen was collected from two Asian elephant bulls (EM1 and EM2, 10 ejaculates from each bull) by manual manipulation and were assessed for volume, pH, sperm cell concentration, and progressive motility.