Encephalitozoon cuniculi-Associated Equine Encephalitis: A Case Report.
Abstract: A case of encephalitis of unknown origin in the horse was investigated. Postmortem examination findings revealed a nonsuppurative granulomatous meningoencephalitis in the right hemisphere of the cerebral cortex. Testing for West Nile virus, equine herpes virus, equine infectious anemia, , , and were negative. The horse had a titer for , and sections from the affected area of the brain tested positive for the organism using both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Amplicons generated using PCR were sequenced, and genotype II was identified. This is the first case of genotype II associated with encephalitis in the horse.
Publication Date: 2014-09-16 PubMed ID: 33727764PubMed Central: PMC7958883DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2014.09.002Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research presents a singular and first recorded case where genotype II of Encephalitozoon cuniculi, a microsporidian parasite that generally affects rabbits, has been associated with encephalitis in a horse.
Case Study of Unusual Encephalitis in a Horse
- The study revolves around an analysis conducted on a horse suffering from encephalitis symptoms of unidentified origin. It was only after postmortem examination that the specific signs of Encephalitozoon cuniculi infection were confirmed. Prior to this, these signals were largely unknown within equine species, thus the focus was on identifying the causative agent.
- The postmortem examination revealed a nonsuppurative granulomatous meningoencephalitis. This condition is characterized by inflammation and subsequent damage to the brain, more specifically in the cerebral cortex of the right hemisphere in this case, possibly caused due to Encephalitozoon cuniculi.
Diagnostic Methods and Findings
- The research team employed several diagnostic tests including those for West Nile virus, equine herpes virus, and equine infectious anemia. However, the results for all these tests returned negative, turning the spotlight of the research on other causing grounds.
- A titer for Encephalitozoon cuniculi suggested that the horse was reacting to the parasite. To substantiate this, tests were conducted on tissue samples from the affected brain region using immunohistochemistry and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), both of which confirmed the presence of the parasite.
Identification of Encephalitozoon Cuniculi Genotype II
- Further investigation into the nature of the parasite revealed it to be Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype II. This was ascertained by sequencing the PCR amplicons, i.e., the fragments of DNA amplified by the PCR test.
- This identification marks the first reported case of encephalitis in a horse being associated with the Encephalitozoon cuniculi genotype II. This not only adds on to the knowledge of how the genotype II strain behaves but signifies that horses could potentially be a new host for this specific pathogen strain.
Cite This Article
APA
Hollyer JA, McGuinness E, Bowers LC, Didier ES, Giudice C, Perl DP, Fogarty U.
(2014).
Encephalitozoon cuniculi-Associated Equine Encephalitis: A Case Report.
J Equine Vet Sci, 34(11-12), 1348-1351.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2014.09.002 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Irish Equine Centre, County Kildare, Ireland.
- O'Byrne & Halley, The Laboratory Coolmore Stud, County Tipperary, Ireland.
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA.
- Division of Microbiology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA.
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA.
- Sezione di Anatomia Patologica Veterinaria e Patologia Aviare, Milano, Italy.
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD.
- Irish Equine Centre, County Kildare, Ireland.
Grant Funding
- P51 OD011104 / NIH HHS
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