Pathological Evaluation of Liver Lesions in Slaughtered Bovines

Pathological Evaluation of Liver Lesions in Slaughtered Bovines

Biswadeep Behera¹, Parthasarathi Behera², Debasish Behera³, Sandeep Kumar⁴, ¹Madhusmita Mohanta

¹Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Govt. of Odisha, ²Associate Professor, Dept. of Veterinary Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Central Agricultural University, Aizawl, Mizoram, ³Associate Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, R.K. Nagar, ⁴Ph.D. Scholar, Dept. of Livestock Products Technology, Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner, Rajasthan.

Corresponding Email: biswadeepbehera@gmail.com

Abstract

The liver is one of the most vital organs in an animal’s body, serving as the primary site for the metabolism of numerous endogenous and exogenous substances. Consequently, it is among the organs most frequently affected in diseased conditions. The liver is vulnerable to a wide range of insults, including metabolic disturbances, toxins, microbial infections, and circulatory disorders. The major causes of liver condemnation are diseases of parasitic origin, particularly those caused by Fasciola species, as well as bacterial and viral infections. Owing to its remarkable regenerative capacity, the liver of clinically healthy animals in tropical and subtropical regions often exhibits a variety of pathological conditions at slaughter. The prevalence and types of liver lesions observed are important indicators used to estimate the economic losses associated with such conditions in livestock production systems.

Keywords: Bovine, Incidence, Liver, Pathology

 Introduction

The liver is the ultimate multitasker of the animal body, but its vital role also puts it right in the line of fire. Because it processes everything absorbed from the gut, the liver acts like a catchment basin—leaving it highly exposed to travelling microorganisms and parasites. When these pathogens take hold, they can trigger a wave of damage, from sudden inflammation (hepatitis) and bleeding to long-term scarring (fibrosis and cirrhosis) or abscesses. The liver is one of the most vital organs of the body and is highly susceptible to a wide range of parasitic infections and disease conditions that can adversely affect the overall health of animals. Owing to its strategic role in receiving blood from the extensive absorptive surface of the gastrointestinal tract, the liver frequently serves as a site for the localization of microorganisms and parasites, making focal hepatic lesions a common occurrence (Kelly, 1993). Various pathological conditions affecting the liver include hepatitis, cirrhosis, abscesses, fibrosis, fatty change, necrosis, cholecystitis, haemorrhage, and congestion (McGavin et al., 2001). These conditions compromise hepatic function and often render the liver unfit for human consumption, resulting in significant public health and economic concerns.

Incidence of Different Pathological Lesions

Ahmedullah et al. (2007) conducted slaughterhouse study of 80 livers of buffaloes in Barisal district, Bangladesh and reported cirrhosis (31.25%), amphistomiasis (31.25%), fascioliasis (22.5%) parasitic cholecystitis (15%), nodular hepatitis (7.5%), granular hepatitis (5%), abscess (3.75%), hydatidosis (2.5%), and haemorrhages (2.5%) as the common pathological conditions encountered in them.

Ahmed et al. (2013) investigated 260 livers of cattle in Ismailia abattoir, Egypt and revealed that liver abscess (12.4%) and liver cirrhosis (5.4%) were the common affections of liver. Raji et al. (2010) studied on the pathological conditions of liver of cattle in Zaria, Nigeria and reported fascioliasis (23.41%), cirrhosis (10.41%), and abscess (4.55%).

Hepatitis

Hepatitis was the alterative inflammation of liver in which the various degenerative processes like cloudy swelling, fatty change and necrosis were caused by irritants. It is of mainly 2 types i.e. acute and chronic; the chronic hepatitis is known as cirrhosis (Mc Gavin et al., 2001). In acute hepatitis, there was enlargement of liver, congestion, haemorrhage, presence of necrotic foci and in some cases, there was fibrinous diphtheritic membrane on liver (Upadhayay et al., 1987).

Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis is characterised by degeneration and hyperplasia of hepatic cells and severe fibrosis. Different types of cirrhosis found in bovines included portal cirrhosis, multinodular cirrhosis, biliary cirrhosis, pericellular cirrhosis, glissonian cirrhosis, parasitic cirrhosis, and pigment cirrhosis based on their positions and aetiology (Cotran and Robbins, 1997). In cirrhosis, the liver was constricted in many cases. Numerous newly formed bile ducts were found in cirrhotic liver (Balasingam, 1962; Dawes, 1963). Considerable proliferation of fibrous connective tissue was marked mainly in the portal areas. There was little lymphocytic infiltration of fibrous strands. Portal veins were dilated and irregular in shape (Khalilov and Namosov, 1983).

Abscess

Abscess in liver grossly showed whitish foci on the surface that varied from 0.5 to 1.5 cm in diameter. Microscopically, there were unorganized necrotic mass of tissue with severe polymorphonuclear leukocytes infiltration especially at the centre surrounded by a thin fibrous capsule (Runnels et al., 1965; Uzoukwn and Ikeme, 1978).

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis is the inflammation of gall bladder. In parasitic cholecystitis, parasites were located within gall bladder which was surrounded by fibrous connective tissue and there was infiltration of inflammatory cells (Ahmedullah et al., 2007). Sub-capsular haemorrhage was also observed in the peripheral surface of the livers which might be due to trauma (Ahmedullah et al., 2007).

Fibrosis

Fibrosis was one of the more common manifestations of chronic liver injury. The liver was greatly enlarged with presence of a few small irregular whitish areas over the parietal surface and parenchyma. Most often, chronic toxic injury produces centrilobular (periacinar) fibrosis. In diffuse fibrosis, there was formation of 5 regenerative nodules. Hepatic fibrosis was characterized by an increase in fibrillar collagens within the space of Disse, the portal areas, and the area surrounding the central veins (Cotran and Robbins, 1997).

Bile duct Hyperplasia

In bile duct hyperplasia, there was dilatation and erosions on the luminal surface of the large bile ducts. Microscopically, there was proliferation of new biliary ducts within the portal areas and periportal regions. The diseases that obstruct normal bile drainage like amphistomiasis, fasciolosis, etc. caused biliary hyperplasia (Hafeez and Rao, 1989).

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