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Journal of veterinary internal medicine2016; 30(3); 873-879; doi: 10.1111/jvim.13944

Eosinophilic Enteritis in Horses with Motor Neuron Disease.

Abstract: Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) is a neuromuscular disorder that affects adult horses. Although EMND has been linked to vitamin E deficiency, its etiopathogenesis is poorly understood. Objective: To describe clinical features, laboratory results, and postmortem findings in a series of young horses with motor neuron disease (MND). Methods: A herd of 15 young Andalusian horses with weakness, weight loss, muscle atrophy, and muscle fasciculations related to restricted intake of green forage. Methods: A case series is presented in which horses were subjected to a clinical examination and plasma vitamin E measurement. Five severely affected horses were euthanized for detailed postmortem examination. Muscle specimens were taken from the M. sacrocaudalis dorsalis medialis and the M. gluteus medius for histopathologic and morphometric evaluation. Results: MND was diagnosed in 5 horses based on clinical signs, low serum levels of vitamin E (0.11 ± 0.05 mg/dL; normal range,: 0.3-1.5 mg/dL), changes in muscle histopathology (neurogenic atrophy), and spinal cord lesions (neuronal chromatolysis in ventral horns). An unexpected postmortem finding was the presence of intestinal inflammation (catarrhal enteritis, edema, and eosinophilic infiltrate) associated with the presence of giant ciliated protozoa in all of the horses. Conclusions: Although a mechanistic link could not be established, it is hypothesized that intestinal inflammation may have been involved in the decreased absorption of vitamin E, thus favoring the development of MND.
Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2016-03-26 PubMed ID: 27015868PubMed Central: PMC4913563DOI: 10.1111/jvim.13944Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article discusses an investigation into equine motor neuron disease (EMND), a neuro-muscular disorder in horses. The study focuses on its potential links to low plasma vitamin E level, and the impacts of this condition on a herd of young Andalusian horses.

Research Objective and Methods

The study aimed to offer detailed descriptions of the clinical features, laboratory results, and postmortem findings of young horses exhibiting symptoms of motor neuron disease (MND). The research was based on a herd of 15 young Andalusian horses that had symptoms like weakness, weight loss, muscle atrophy, muscle fasciculations, believed to be associated with the limited intake of green forage.

  • The researchers conducted a detailed clinical examination of these horses and measured their plasma vitamin E levels.
  • For a thorough evaluation, five severely affected horses were euthanised, and a detailed postmortem examination was conducted.
  • Muscle specimens were taken from specific muscle groups including M. sacrocaudalis dorsalis medialis and M. gluteus medius to proceed with histopathologic and morphometric evaluation.

Research Findings

The research led to several findings:

  • In five horses, MND was positively diagnosed based on visible clinical signs, laboratory results showing decreased serum vitamin E levels, changes in muscle histopathology and spinal cord lesions.
  • The serum vitamin E levels found in these horses were significantly lower than the normal range (0.11±0.05 mg/dL as opposed to the normal range of 0.3-1.5 mg/dL).
  • An unexpected finding came from postmortem examination. All horses had intestinal inflammation (enteritis, edema, eosinophilic infiltrate), and the presence of giant ciliated protozoa was found.

Research Conclusions

While the investigation could not definitively establish a mechanistic link, it hypothesized that intestinal inflammation might have contributed to the decreased absorption of vitamin E in horses, thus triggering the development of MND.

Cite This Article

APA
Díez de Castro E, Zafra R, Acevedo LM, Pérez J, Acosta I, Rivero JL, Aguilera-Tejero E. (2016). Eosinophilic Enteritis in Horses with Motor Neuron Disease. J Vet Intern Med, 30(3), 873-879. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.13944

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 30
Issue: 3
Pages: 873-879

Researcher Affiliations

Díez de Castro, E
  • Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Zafra, R
  • Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Acevedo, L M
  • Laboratory of Muscular Biopathology, Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Pérez, J
  • Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Acosta, I
  • Department of Animal Health, Parasitology Section, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Rivero, J L L
  • Laboratory of Muscular Biopathology, Department of Comparative Anatomy and Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.
Aguilera-Tejero, E
  • Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Enteritis / parasitology
  • Enteritis / pathology
  • Enteritis / veterinary
  • Eosinophilia / parasitology
  • Eosinophilia / pathology
  • Eosinophilia / veterinary
  • Female
  • Gastritis / parasitology
  • Gastritis / pathology
  • Gastritis / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Motor Neuron Disease / parasitology
  • Motor Neuron Disease / pathology
  • Motor Neuron Disease / veterinary
  • Muscular Atrophy / parasitology
  • Muscular Atrophy / pathology
  • Muscular Atrophy / veterinary
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / parasitology
  • Protozoan Infections, Animal / pathology
  • Vitamin E / blood

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Donnelly CG, Burns E, Easton-Jones CA, Katzman S, Stuart R, Cook SE, Finno CJ. Safety and efficacy of subcutaneous alpha-tocopherol in healthy adult horses. Equine Vet Educ 2021 Apr;33(4):215-219.
    doi: 10.1111/eve.13308pubmed: 34326575google scholar: lookup
  2. Pitel MO, McKenzie EC, Johns JL, Stuart RL. Influence of specific management practices on blood selenium, vitamin E, and beta-carotene concentrations in horses and risk of nutritional deficiency. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Sep;34(5):2132-2141.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.15862pubmed: 32686861google scholar: lookup
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