Characterization of spinal cord lesions in cattle and horses with rabies: the importance of correct sampling.
Abstract: Twenty-six cattle and 7 horses were diagnosed with rabies. Samples of brain and spinal cord were processed for hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, refrigerated fragments of brain and spinal cord were tested by direct fluorescent antibody test and intracerebral inoculation in mice. Statistical analyses and Fisher exact test were performed by commercial software. Histologic lesions were observed in the spinal cord in all of the cattle and horses. Inflammatory lesions in horses were moderate at the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral levels, and marked at the lumbar enlargement level. Gitter cells were present in large numbers in the lumbar enlargement region. IHC staining intensity ranged from moderate to strong. Inflammatory lesions in cattle were moderate in all spinal cord sections, and gitter cells were present in small numbers. IHC staining intensity was strong in all spinal cord sections. Only 2 horses exhibited lesions in the brain, which were located mainly in the obex and cerebellum; different from that observed in cattle, which had lesions in 25 cases. Fisher exact test showed that the odds of detecting lesions caused by rabies in horses are 3.5 times higher when spinal cord sections are analyzed, as compared to analysis of brain samples alone.
© 2016 The Author(s).
Publication Date: 2016-05-30 PubMed ID: 27240569DOI: 10.1177/1040638716647992Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article discusses a study conducted on twenty-six cattle and seven horses diagnosed with rabies, which focused on analyzing the spinal cord lesions and examining their importance in the correct sampling and detection of the disease.
Research Methodology
- The study involved a range of methodologies including histological staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC), the direct fluorescent antibody test, and intracerebral inoculation in mice.
- Both brain and spinal cord samples were analyzed from diagnosed cattle and horses.
- Different sections of the spinal cord such as thoracic, lumbar, sacral and lumbar enlargement level were examined.
- Histological lesions were observed in the spinal cord of both the cattle and horses involved in the study.
- Statistical analysis was conducted using commercial software along with Fisher’s exact test.
Findings
- The study found that both cattle and horses exhibited lesions within their spinal cords.
- In horses, inflammatory lesions within the spinal cord were found to be moderate at thoracic, lumbar, and sacral levels, but marked at the lumbar enlargement level.
- Large numbers of gitter cells, which are phagocytic macrophages in the central nervous system active in the cleanup after neural trauma or damage, were found in the lumbar enlargement region of horses.
- In cattle, lesions were noted in almost all the examined spinal cord sections. The presence of gitter cells in these sections was recorded as small but significant.
- Among cattle, 25 of 26 cases showed lesions within the brain, primarily in the obex and cerebellum region. By contrast, only two horses showed lesions in the brain.
- Immunohistochemistry staining intensity varied from moderate to high in both species, indicating the presence of the pathogen in the tissues.
Conclusions
- The researchers concluded that an examination of spinal cord samples was critical for the correct detection of rabies, especially in cases with equine hosts.
- The study showed a higher likelihood of detecting lesions caused by rabies in horses (3.5 times) when spinal cord sections are examined, as compared to when only brain samples are analyzed.
- The herbivores like cattle mostly manifested the rabies lesions in the parts of the brain, in contrast to the horses which showed a more significant effect in the spinal cord.
Cite This Article
APA
Bassuino DM, Konradt G, Cruz RA, Silva GS, Gomes DC, Pavarini SP, Driemeier D.
(2016).
Characterization of spinal cord lesions in cattle and horses with rabies: the importance of correct sampling.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 28(4), 455-460.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638716647992 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes).
- Department of Pathology Veterinary, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Bassuino, Konradt, Cruz, Pavarini and Driemeier)Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Silva)Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil (Gomes) davetpat@ufrgs.br.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Brain / pathology
- Cattle
- Cattle Diseases / diagnosis
- Cattle Diseases / pathology
- Cattle Diseases / virology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / virology
- Horses
- Immunohistochemistry / veterinary
- Rabies / diagnosis
- Rabies / pathology
- Rabies / veterinary
- Rabies / virology
- Rabies virus / isolation & purification
- Spinal Cord / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Countrymann K, Ruby R, Miller AD. A retrospective study of 171 cases of equine meningoencephalomyelitis in the United States, 1996-2023. J Vet Diagn Invest 2026 Jan;38(1):100-111.
- Pereira PMC, Silva ACR, Asano KM, da Costa Neves A, Sciani JM, Pimenta DC, Vigerelli H. An Evaluation of the Anti-Rabies Effect of Bufotenine in Murine Rabies Models to Determine Its Mechanism of Action. Viruses 2025 May 31;17(6).
- Carvalho KS, de Barros CSL, Mendonça FS, Machado M, Riet-Correa F. Diseases of the nervous system of equids in Brazil: a review. J Vet Diagn Invest 2025 Sep;37(5):729-752.
- Boos GS, Failing K, Colodel EM, Driemeier D, de Castro MB, Bassuino DM, Diomedes Barbosa J, Herden C. Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Ionized Calcium-Binding Adapter Molecule 1 Immunostaining Score for the Central Nervous System of Horses With Non-suppurative Encephalitis and Encephalopathies. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:660022.
- Molossi FA, de Cecco BS, Pohl CB, Borges RB, Sonne L, Pavarini SP, Driemeier D. Causes of death in beef cattle in southern Brazil. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021 Jul;33(4):677-683.
- Clarke LL, Hawkins IK, Rissi DR. Central nervous system diseases of cattle in Georgia, 2001-2017. J Vet Diagn Invest 2019 Jul;31(4):588-593.
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