Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
254
HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY OF MAMMARY GLAND
INFECTION IN DAIRY BOVINE
Alaa T. Abdulwahid* , Zainab W. khutair**
, Raghad I. Abd***
*Department of Veterinary Public Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Basrah, Iraq.
**Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Parasitology, College of
Veterinary Medicine, University of Basrah, Iraq.
*** Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Pharmacy College, University
of Basrah, Iraq.
Keywords: Mammary gland ,Bovine ,slaughter house.
Corresponding Author: alaatariqabdulwahi@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
A total of nine mammary glands of bovine were collected from slaughter
house in Basrah city and Surgical Department of Veterinary College for
histopathological examination. Histopathological examination of mammary
glands revealed that there was an acute, chronic, and necrotizing case in
mammary gland tissue.
INTRODUCTION
Bovine mastitis is one of the most important diseases affecting the dairy
industry. It is an economic burden on milk producers all over the world [1]. An
inflammation of the mammary gland parenchyma is characterized by
pathological changes in udder tissue [2]. The diagnosis of mastitis is based on
clinical signs (swelling of the udder, tender to the touch, fever, and depression).
For subclinical mastitis cases, the diagnosis depends on the leukocyte numbers
in the milk [3]. Both clinical and subclinical mastitis can affect the milk
composition and reduce milk production [4, 5]. During infection of the udder
with mastitis there is lowering of lactose, casein, and reduction in natural
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
255
acidity. However, there is an increase in chloride content, soluble nitrogen, and
ash content [4].
Etiology of mastitis can be bacterial and non-bacterial pathogens, such as
mycoplasms, fungi, yeasts, and chlamydia [1]. These pathogens infect the udder
via the teat canal and multiply in the milk of the teat and mammary cisterns [6].
The damage of tissue mammary gland can be caused by pathogens and their
products. Toxins produce by certain type of pathogen can be destroyed cell
membranes and damaged milk-producing tissue. While, other type of pathogen
have the ability to invade and proliferate within the epithelial cells before
causing cell death. In addition, mastitis is characterized by an increase of
somatic cells, which in turn cause damage of the blood-milk barrier and
mammary epithelium [7]. Taken to gather, this work aimed to study the
histopathological changes in the mammary gland.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Experimental design:
The study was carried out on nine mammary glands of bovine. They were
collected from slaughter house in Basrah city and Surgical Department of
Veterinary College for histopathological examination.
Histopathological examination:
At slaughter, the udder was incised quickly and mammary gland parenchyma
was fixed in 10% formalin at room temperature for 24 h. The specimens were
then removed from the buffered-formalin and dehydrated through a graded
series of ethanol and xylene prior to paraffin embedding. After that, the
specimens were embedded in paraffin, sectioned at the thickness of 5 microns
using rotary microtome, mounted on slide, and stained with haematoxylineeosin
as described by [8]. The slides were then examined under light
microscope (Olympus) to detect and describe any histopathological changes in
mammary gland parenchyma induced by bacteria and non-bacterial pathogens
RESULTS
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
256
The udder section from healthy bovine revealed no pathological lesions
with normal alveoli and glandular structure (Figure1). However, the tissue
sections of mastitic bovine revealed inflammatory changes. Microscopically,
acute cases of mastitis showed hyper secretion in acini of duct which appeared
as pink or orange color in the lumen of duct some of acini (Figure2). There was
also hemorrhagic intralobular space with degeneration of epithelial lining cell,
slightly inflammatory cells, and odematus fluid in many area of tissue
(Figure3). Some of the duct is dilated and there were congested blood vessels
(Figure 4).
Chronic cases of mastitis revealed that there was hyperplasia of duct with
connective tissue proliferation (Figure 5, 6). There was infiltration of
inflammatory cell associated with dilated some acini and hyperplastic (Figure
7). Excessive amount of fibrosis with dilated of acini was also seen (Figure 8).
Adenocarcinoma and aplastic epithelium cell with swelling of hemorrhagic area
was also seen (Figure 9, 10).
Necrotic cases of mastitis revealed that there was necrotic area which
appeared as replaced by excessive amount of inflammatory cells, newly blood
vessel, and loss of structure disorentation of mammary gland tissue. This
necrotic area pressed caused pressure atrophy to the other tissue which closed
to some acini and dilated other (Figure 11, 12).
Fig 1 : No pathological lesions with normal
alveoli and glandular structure [9].
Fig 2 :Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing hyper secretion of acinor duct(H) and
intralobular odema(O). X10 H and E
O
H
H
H
O
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
257
H
O
C
C
C
Fig 3: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing closed some of duct (C), haemorrhage
(H)with intralobular odema(O) and
degeneration of epithelial cells
Fig 4 : Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing large glandular duct near by acini
dilated the duct (++), congested blood
vessels(C)
++
++
++
C
C
Fig 5: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing hyperplesia of mammary gland. x10
S
S
S
Fig 6: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing some of the mammary duct with
papillary epithelium proliferation in some
area(S). .
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
258
PMNS
H
Fig 7 : Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing presence of inflammatory cells(PMNs)
in periductal region. Some areas prominent
acni and hyperplastic (H) .X40
Fig 8 : Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing excessive fibrosis (F) with atrophy
some acini (A) and dilated the other (D)
F
A
D
F
Fig 9: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing adenocarcinoma . X10
Fig 10: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing aplastic epithelium cell with swelling
of hemorrhagic area. X40
S
S
F
Fig 11: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing necrotic area( N) with closure of acini.
X4
N
Fig 12: Section of mammary gland of bovine
showing necrotic area of tissue (N) with
accumulation pretentious materials ( P) and
the acini are different in size(S).X10
N
N
S
S
P P
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.17, No.3,2018
Proceeding of 6th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
259
DISCUSSION
Histopathological examination of the acute, chronic, and necrotic mastitis
cases is in agreement with previous studies [10, 11, 12]. During acute mastitis,
it has been found that tissue changes might be due to endotoxic injury to the
microvasculature of the alveolar walls and mammary interstitium, stimulating
huge neutrophils emigration to clean the gland of organisms within few days
[13]. The acute reaction develops as the initial inflammatory response to clear
the tissue of mammary gland from all organisms. If the acute reaction fails to
complete clear the tissue of mammary gland from all pathogens, chronic
reaction will develop. The major chronic lesion found in the current study was
the fibrosis.
In chronic mastitis, It has been found that fibrosis was due to the response to
chemotactic factors released either from cells damaged by organism or from the
organism itself [14]. A bovine mammary adenocarcinoma was due to
inflammatory infiltrate composed of lymphocytes and plasma cells that has
glandular characteristics [15]. The hyperplastic activity in chronic cases is
formed by the tissue reaction. It has been found that the hyperplastic activity
could be repair of the damaged epithelial lining [16].
In necrosis mastitis, generation of leukocidin or haemolysin from pathogens
might be cytotoxic and promoting tissue necrosis [16, 17]. In conclusion, nine
bovine udders were studied microscopically. The inflammation were classified
into acute, chronic, and necrosis.
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