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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Med Sci / First description of a fatal equine infection with Halicepha...
Veterinary medicine and science2019; 5(2); 222-229; doi: 10.1002/vms3.142

First description of a fatal equine infection with Halicephalobus gingivalis in Portugal. Relevance for public health.

Abstract: Halicephalobus gingivalis is a small saprophytic rhabditid nematode, represented only by females with a typical rhabditoid oesophagus and one egg in the uterus, capable of infecting vertebrates. This opportunistic parasite present in the soil, manure and decaying humus, is thought to penetrate through previous injuries to the mouth, eyes and skin of horses and migrate to various organs. The brain is one such organ, where the females lay their eggs, leading to malacia and causing a sudden onset of neurological signs, such as anorexia, ataxia, urinary incontinence, blindness, decreased menace and tonal reflexes, tremors and aggressiveness. The disease is invariably fatal whenever brain lesions are present, and the diagnosis usually achieved only post-mortem. The present work aims to describe the first case of infection by H. gingivalis ever reported in Portugal. An 8-year old warmblood horse presented with an 8-day history of progressive blindness involving the left eye, initially with normal pupillary reflexes, advancing to bilateral blindness and increasing deterioration in clinical condition. After euthanasia, the animal was submitted for necropsy. Organ samples were collected and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for routine histopathology. A large mass was found in the left kidney corresponding to fibrous tissue heavily infiltrated with inflammatory cells and numerous nematodes. In the brain, multiple, bilateral and asymmetrical foci of malacia containing several rhabditoid nematodes, larvae and zygotes, and high numbers of inflammatory cells were found. The nematodes were identified as H. gingivalis. The clinical history, necropsy and histological findings presented constitute a typical case of H. gingivalis infection in a horse, never previously described in Portugal to the authors' best knowledge. Humans can be infected by contact with contaminated manure, which makes this nematode a public health concern, especially for people living and/or working in close proximity to horses.
© 2019 The Authors Veterinary Medicine and Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2019-01-22 PubMed ID: 30672155PubMed Central: PMC6498521DOI: 10.1002/vms3.142Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research details the first recorded incidence of a fatal infection in a horse caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis – a type of nematode – in Portugal. This particularly concerns public health since humans may be infected by contact with contaminated manure.

About Halicephalobus gingivalis

  • Halicephalobus gingivalis is a type of small saprophytic rhabditid nematode, which are represented only by females.
  • These nematodes are capable of infecting vertebrates, and are commonly found in soil, manure, and decaying humus.
  • They can penetrate horses through injuries to mouth, eyes and skin, and then migrate to various organs, one of the most significant being the brain where the females lay eggs, causing severe damage.

The Disease

  • Once the nematodes reach the brain, they lay eggs that cause malacia (softening of tissue).
  • Infected horses typically shows signs of anorexia, ataxia, urinary incontinence, blindness, trembling, and aggressive behavior.
  • The disease is fatal once brain lesions are present and is usually only diagnosed post-mortem.

The Case in Portugal

  • The 8-year old warmblood horse, in this documented case from Portugal, showed progressive blindness, initially affecting only the left eye. Onset began 8 days prior, with its clinical condition deteriorating beyond initial symptoms.
  • Post-euthanasia, a necropsy revealed a large mass in the left kidney. The mass consisted of fibrous tissue heavily infiltrated with inflammatory cells and several nematodes.
  • Furthermore, multiple areas of malacia were discovered in the brain, containing numerous rhabditoid nematodes, larvae, and zygotes along with a high concentration of inflammatory cells.
  • The nematode was identified as H. gingivalis.

Implications for Public Health

  • Halicephalobus gingivalis poses an associated risk for humans who might come into contact with contaminated manure, making it a public health concern particularly in areas where people live or work near horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Noiva R, Ruivo P, de Carvalho LM, Fonseca C, Fevereiro M, Carvalho P, Orge L, Monteiro M, Peleteiro MC. (2019). First description of a fatal equine infection with Halicephalobus gingivalis in Portugal. Relevance for public health. Vet Med Sci, 5(2), 222-229. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.142

Publication

Veterinary medicine and science
ISSN: 2053-1095
NlmUniqueID: 101678837
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 5
Issue: 2
Pages: 222-229

Researcher Affiliations

Noiva, Rute
  • CIISA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Research in Animal Health, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica, Lisbon, Portugal.
Ruivo, Pedro
  • Integrated Masters Course of Veterinary Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica, Lisbon, Portugal.
de Carvalho, Luís Madeira
  • CIISA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Research in Animal Health, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica, Lisbon, Portugal.
Fonseca, Constança
  • HTS (Horses Therapy Services), Algueirão, Portugal.
Fevereiro, Miguel
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços de Produção e Saúde Animal, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras, Portugal.
Carvalho, Paulo
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços de Produção e Saúde Animal, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras, Portugal.
Orge, Leonor
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços de Produção e Saúde Animal, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras, Portugal.
Monteiro, Madalena
  • Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária (INIAV), Unidade Estratégica de Investigação e Serviços de Produção e Saúde Animal, Av. da República, Quinta do Marquês, Oeiras, Portugal.
Peleteiro, Maria Conceição
  • CIISA, Interdisciplinary Centre of Research in Animal Health, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. da Universidade Técnica, Lisbon, Portugal.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Larva / growth & development
  • Portugal
  • Public Health
  • Rhabditida / growth & development
  • Rhabditida / isolation & purification
  • Rhabditida Infections / parasitology
  • Rhabditida Infections / pathology
  • Rhabditida Infections / physiopathology
  • Rhabditida Infections / veterinary

Conflict of Interest Statement

None.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Pillai VV, Mudd LJ, Sola MF. Disseminated Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in a horse. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023 Mar;35(2):173-177.
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  2. Ribeiro M, Gomes-Gonçalves S, Moreira G, Cardoso L, Mesquita JR. On the faecal detection of Halicephalobus gingivalis in equines in Iran. Vet Res Commun 2024 Oct;48(5):3499-3501.
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  3. Sousa TM, Toma HS, Lima AP, Junior ACCL, Nunes MM, Silva APCD, Wouters D, Albuquerque AS, Varaschin MS, Raymundo DL, Toma CDM, Batista FA. Pathological fracture induced by Halicephalobus gingivalis (Nematoda: Rhabditida) in a horse limb. Parasites Hosts Dis 2024 Feb;62(1):131-138.
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