PMC7472827_01
Photographs of an elk hind showing poor body condition, and unshed winter coat (A) and abomasum from one animal (B). Note increased mucus, mucosal thickening characterized by raised, pale, nodular foci (arrows), and coalesced areas of hyperemia (arrow heads).
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F1
At necropsy, all four elk were thin, with rough hair coats (Figure 1A) and decreased subcutaneous and renal fat stores. In one animal, the abomasal mucosa was cobblestone in appearance, with numerous raised, pale, nodular foci, 5-10 mm in diameter (Figure 1B), that coalesced in severely affected areas.
Photomicrographs of sections of thickened abom asal mucosa demonstrating elongated gastric pits (A). Bar = 200 mum. Tightly packed mucous cells with increased mitotic figures (B, arrows), and plasma cells (arrow heads). Bar = 25 mum. Cross sections of a nematode within the abomasal lumen (C). Morphologic features were typical of Trichostrongyles, including a thin cuticle (arrow heads) with prominent longitudinal ridges (arrow heads) and a platymyarian-meromyarian musculature (arrows). Bar = 75 mum.
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F2
Elongated gastric pits were lined by tightly packed mucous cells with increased mitotic figures (mucous cell hyperplasia) resulting in moderate thickening of the abomasal mucosal layer (Figure 2A). Within the lamina propria were moderately increased numbers of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and eosinophils (Figure 2B). Within the abomasal lumen multiple cross sections of a nematode, roughly 100 mum in diameter, were present (Figure 2C). Trichostrongyles, including a thin cuticle with prominent longitudinal ridges, pseudocoelom, and a platymyarian-meromyarian musculature (Figure 2C). The digestive tract was typical oligocytous strongylin with few visible cells and multiple nuclei.