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Home / Equine Research Bank / Parasitol Res / First report of fatal systemic Halicephalobus gingivalis inf...
Parasitology research2015; 115(3); 1097-1103; doi: 10.1007/s00436-015-4839-7

First report of fatal systemic Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in two Lipizzaner horses from Romania: clinical, pathological, and molecular characterization.

Abstract: Halicephalobus gingivalis (H. gingivalis) causes a rare and fatal infection in horses and humans. Despite the zoonotic potential and severity of the disease, the epidemiology and pathogenesis of halicephalobiasis are still poorly understood. Several European cases of equine halicephalobiasis have been documented; however, in South-Eastern European countries, including Romania, equine neurohelminthiasis caused by H. gingivalis has not been previously described. Two Lipizzaner horses with a clinical history of progressive neurological signs were referred to the Pathology Department of the Cluj-Napoca (Romania) for necropsy. Both horses died with severe neurological signs. Gross examination and cytological, histological, and molecular analyses were performed. The stallions came from two different breeding farms. No history of traveling outside Romania was recorded. At necropsy, granulomatous and necrotizing lesions were observed in the kidneys, lymph nodes, brain, retroperitoneal adipose tissue, and lungs, indicating a systemic infection. Parasitological and histopathological analyses evidenced larval and adult forms of rhabditiform nematodes consistent with Halicephalobus species. Parasites were observed in both lymph and blood vessels of different organs and were also identified in urine samples. A subunit of the large-subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU rDNA) of H. gingivalis (673 bp) was amplified from lesions in both horses.To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of equine systemic H. gingivalis infection in Romania and in South-Eastern Europe. Our findings provide new insights into the geographic distribution of specific genetic lineages of H. gingivalis, while also raising public health awareness, as the parasite is zoonotic.
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Publication Date: 2015-12-02 PubMed ID: 26631187DOI: 10.1007/s00436-015-4839-7Google 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.

This research describes the first reported cases of systemic infections in horses caused by the Halicephalobus gingivalis parasite in Romania and South-Eastern Europe. The study used clinical, pathological, and molecular analyses to uncover the fatal impact of the infection on two Lipizzaner horses.

Context of the Study

  • Halicephalobus gingivalis, a parasite, is known to cause severe, often fatal, infections in horses and humans.
  • The understanding of the disease known as halicephalobiasis, including its epidemiology and the process of its development (pathogenesis), is limited.
  • Although cases of equine halicephalobiasis have been documented in Europe, there were no prior reported incidents in South-Eastern European countries, including Romania.

Clinical Investigation of the Horses

  • The study examined two Lipizzaner horses that showed progressive signs of neurological disorders.
  • Both horses died from these severe neurological conditions. They originated from different breeding farms and had no record of travelling outside Romania.
  • Upon necropsy, signs of systemic infection were found. This included granulomatous and necrotizing lesions in the kidneys, lymph nodes, brain, retroperitoneal adipose tissue, and lungs.

Evidence of H. gingivalis Infection

  • Parasitological and histopathological analyses detected larval and adult forms of rhabditiform nematodes consistent with Halicephalobus species.
  • The parasites were found in lymph and blood vessels of various organs and were also found in urine samples.

Genetic Identification of the Parasite

  • A segment (673 base pairs) of the large subunit of the parasite’s ribosomal RNA gene was isolated and identified from the lesions.

Significance of the Findings

  • This study reported the first cases of the systemic H. gingivalis infection in horses in Romania and in South-Eastern Europe.
  • The results can broaden the understanding of the geographical distribution of different genetic lineages of H. gingivalis.
  • The study can raise public health awareness due to the zoonotic potential of the parasite.

Cite This Article

APA
Taulescu MA, Ionicã AM, Diugan E, Pavaloiu A, Cora R, Amorim I, Catoi C, Roccabianca P. (2015). First report of fatal systemic Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in two Lipizzaner horses from Romania: clinical, pathological, and molecular characterization. Parasitol Res, 115(3), 1097-1103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-015-4839-7

Publication

Parasitology research
ISSN: 1432-1955
NlmUniqueID: 8703571
Country: Germany
Language: English
Volume: 115
Issue: 3
Pages: 1097-1103

Researcher Affiliations

Taulescu, Marian A
  • Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Ionicã, Angela M
  • Department of Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. ionica.angela@usamvcluj.ro.
Diugan, Eva
  • Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Pavaloiu, Alexandra
  • Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Cora, Roxana
  • Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Amorim, Irina
  • Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
  • Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Rua Júlio Amaral de Carvalho nr. 45, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.
  • Escola Superior Agrária do Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, 4990-706, Ponte de Lima, Portugal.
Catoi, Cornel
  • Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3-5 Calea Manastur, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Roccabianca, Paola
  • Department of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Autopsy / veterinary
  • Brain / parasitology
  • Brain / pathology
  • DNA, Helminth / isolation & purification
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / parasitology
  • Horse Diseases / pathology
  • Horses
  • Kidney / parasitology
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Lymph Nodes / parasitology
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Male
  • Rhabditida / genetics
  • Rhabditida / isolation & purification
  • Rhabditida Infections / epidemiology
  • Rhabditida Infections / parasitology
  • Rhabditida Infections / pathology
  • Rhabditida Infections / veterinary
  • Romania / epidemiology

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Noiva R, Ruivo P, de Carvalho LM, Fonseca C, Fevereiro M, Carvalho P, Orge L, Monteiro M, Peleteiro MC. First description of a fatal equine infection with Halicephalobus gingivalis in Portugal. Relevance for public health. Vet Med Sci 2019 May;5(2):222-229.
    doi: 10.1002/vms3.142pubmed: 30672155google scholar: lookup
  2. Onyiche TE, Okute TO, Oseni OS, Okoro DO, Biu AA, Mbaya AW. Parasitic and zoonotic meningoencephalitis in humans and equids: Current knowledge and the role of Halicephalobus gingivalis. Parasite Epidemiol Control 2018 Feb;3(1):36-42.
    doi: 10.1016/j.parepi.2017.12.002pubmed: 29774297google scholar: lookup
  3. Pintore MD, Cerutti F, D'Angelo A, Corona C, Gazzuola P, Masoero L, Colombo C, Bona R, Cantile C, Peletto S, Casalone C, Iulini B. Isolation and molecular characterisation of Halicephalobus gingivalis in the brain of a horse in Piedmont, Italy. Parasit Vectors 2017 Mar 7;10(1):135.
    doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2070-3pubmed: 28270191google scholar: lookup
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