Pathological studies on spontaneous urinary bladder lesions in Indian buffaloes

The present investigation describes the spontaneous pathological lesions in urinary bladders (n = 177) of slaughtered buffaloes collected from Northern India. Gross examination revealed congestion, haemorrhages, oedematous changes and thickening of mucosa. Microscopically, epithelial abnormalities, inflammatory and neoplastic conditions were noticed. Epithelial abnormalities included epithelial hyperplasia, von Brunn’s nests, cystitis cystica and cystitis glandularis. Inflammatory conditions such as congestion, haemorrhages and cystitis were noticed. Cystitis was classified as lymphocytic, plasmo-lymphocytic, follicular and interstitial types. However, only single case of haemangiosarcoma was observed. Polymerase chain reaction revealed the presence of DNA of only BPV-1 in one sample out of 21, while one sample showed the presence of DNA of both BPV-1 and BPV-2. On immunohistochemistry, Ki-67 expression was observed only in haemangiosarcoma and one case of plasmo-lymphocytic cystitis with immunostaining restricted to nuclei. COX-2 immunostaining was observed in one case each of flat hyperplasia, von Brunn’s nest, haemangiosarcoma and two cases of plasmo-lymphocytic cystitis. Among epithelial abnormalities, COX-2 immunostaining was restricted to epithelial component of the lesions, and it was diffused cytoplasmic type with occasional perinuclear staining particularly in the cytoplasmic membrane. However, in haemangiosarcoma the COX-2 immunoreactivity was noticed in epithelial as well as connective tissue stroma. In conclusion, it may be stated that urinary bladders of slaughtered buffaloes showed a number of epithelial abnormalities, inflammatory conditions and occasionally neoplasms. Further studies to explore the infectious as well as non-infectious etiologies should be undertaken.