[A case of cutaneous epitheliotropic malignant lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) in a horse].

The research article is about a case where an 11-year old mare was diagnosed with cutaneous epitheliotropic malignant lymphoma, commonly referred to as Mycosis fungoides.

Case Presentation

• The horse was found with symptoms including apathy, fever, enlarged mandibular lymph nodes, skin lesions on the upper lip, and inflamed grey-red mucous membranes in the nose, mouth, and vulva.

Diagnostic Process

• Upon examination of the horse, histopathology was used. This is a microscopic examination of biological tissues used to observe the appearance of diseased cells and tissues in very fine detail.
• The histopathology revealed an infiltration of atypical lymphocytes forming Pautrier’s microabscesses, an observation often noticed in Mycosis fungoides.
• The neoplastic or abnormal cells had large and often indented nuclei, supporting the diagnosis.

Immunohistology Findings

• In immunohistology, where the medical team studies the antigens in the tissues of the horse, it was found that some cells were CD3-positive.
• The CD3 positive label is often associated with T-cells, white blood cells that play a key role in the immune system, including fighting cancer.

Diagnosis and Conclusion

• The tests and evaluations led to the diagnosis of cutaneous epitheliotropic malignant lymphoma or Mycosis fungoides, a rare type of T-cell lymphoma that primarily involves the skin.
• The etiology, the cause or origin of the disease, remains unknown in horses, showing areas for future research. It is clear there is a need for more research to determine the causes of this disease in horses.