A morphological and histological study on Lyssa of Golden Jackal (Canis aureus)

Abstract

This study aimed to reveal the topographic location, its measurements, and microscopic and macroscopic structures of Golden Jackal’s Lyssa by using macro anatomical and histological methods. For this study, the tongues of three dead Golden jackals were first dissected to expose the lyssa. Then, lyssa were photographed macro anatomically, and measurements were made with the FIJI® program on the photographs. Additionally, for histological examination, the samples obtained from the lyssa were stained with Masson's Trichrome (H&E) stain after undergoing histological procedures. In the topographic and macroscopic examination, Lyssa was located on the ventral surface of the tongue between the lingual frenulum and the apex linguae; its front half was visible just under the mucosa, and its shape was fusiform. In the histological examination, the lyssa was surrounded by a thick external connective tissue capsule from the outside, the fat tissue mass formed the ventral part of the structure within the capsule, and the muscle tissue mass formed the dorsal part, there was a thin internal connective tissue capsule separating these two tissues from each other. As a result, it was determined that the location and histological structure of Lyssa in the Golden Jackal were similar to its localization and histological structure in camels, dogs, and cats. Still, its shape was different from those of these animals. In addition, histologically, the external connective tissue capsule has branches extending into both the muscle and fat tissue mass, and the thin internal connective tissue capsule separates these two tissues.