Occurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Ducks: A One-Year Prospective Study

Abstract

Duck carcasses brought to the department of veterinary pathology at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode, Kerala, India for post mortem examination were examined for liver lesions for a period of one year from April 2018 to March 2019. During the study period, 112 duck carcasses were examined that included 53.57 per cent Kuttanad ducks and 46.43 per cent White Pekin ducks and all the birds except one were above 6 months of age. Hepatomegaly was observed in 72.32 per cent cases in which hepatocellular carcinoma was identified in one (0.89%) White Pekin duck. Grossly, the liver was twice enlarged, firm, and the surface had multiple dark red to grayish nodules. The cut surface showed multiple lobulations. Histopathologically, the liver was characterised by pseudolobulation, various regions showing solid or adenoid pattern of hepatocytes and multiple hematoma formation. Hepatocellular carcinoma with cirrhosis was identified. The study revealed very low occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in ducks.