Ganglion Cytology: A Novel Rapid Method for the Diagnosis of Equine Dysautonomia.
Abstract: Equine dysautonomia (grass sickness) is characterized by autonomic neuronal degeneration and is often fatal. As outbreaks occur, rapid diagnosis is essential but confirmation currently requires histological examination. This study evaluated diagnostic accuracy of cytological examination of cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) scrapings for dysautonomia diagnosis. CCG smears from 20 controls and 16 dysautonomia cases were stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG), hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and cresyl fast violet (CFV), with HE-stained histological sections of CCG as gold standard for diagnosis. Examining all 3 stains together, the sensitivity and specificity were 100%. Occasional individual smears (4/107, 3.7%) were nondiagnostic due to low cellularity, and in a few individual smears the final diagnosis was correct but more tentative (CFV: 5/33 [15.1%], HE: 2/34 [5.9%], and MGG: 4/36 [11.1%]), due to low cellularity or suboptimal cell morphology. CCG cytology was considered reliable for rapid postmortem diagnosis of equine dysautonomia, particularly using MGG.
Publication Date: 2018-10-05 PubMed ID: 30286693DOI: 10.1177/0300985818806051Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research paper investigates a new quick diagnostic method to identify equine dysautonomia using cytological evaluation of cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) samples, providing a more reliable and swift way to detect and react to outbreaks of this often fatal horse condition.
Background of the The Study
- The research addresses equine dysautonomia, also known as ‘grass sickness’, which is a deadly neurological disorder affecting horses and is characterized by the degeneration of the autonomic neurons.
- Due to the rapid progression and lethal outcome of this disease, it is critical to establish a quick and authoritative diagnosis.
- Currently, the definitive way to diagnose this disease is by analyzing histological sections, which entail more complex procedures and more time.
Purpose and Method of the Research
- The objective of the study was to evaluate whether cytological examination of the cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) could offer a faster and reliable alternative to histology in diagnosing equine dysautonomia.
- CCG samples from 20 healthy horses and 16 horses with dysautonomia were stained with three different substances for examination: May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG), hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and cresyl fast violet (CFV). HE-stained histological sections of the CCG served as the standard reference for diagnosis.
Results of the Study
- When all three stains were examined collectively, the sensitivity and specificity were found to be 100%, indicating a high level of accuracy.
- However, minimal individual smears (approximately 3.7%) were indeterminable due to insufficient cellularity, or because the cell morphology wasn’t optimal making it difficult to conclusively ascertain the presence of the disease.
- In the latter case, while the final diagnosis was correct, it was more tentative – this occurred with 15.1% of CFV-stained smears, 5.9% of HE-stained smears, and 11.1% of MGG-stained smears.
Conclusions of the Study
- The study concluded that CCG cytology is reliable to promptly diagnose equine dysautonomia post-mortem, especially when using MGG staining.
- This technique can expedite diagnosis and potentially help manage or prevent the spread of disease faster during outbreaks.
Cite This Article
APA
Piccinelli C, Jago R, Milne E.
(2018).
Ganglion Cytology: A Novel Rapid Method for the Diagnosis of Equine Dysautonomia.
Vet Pathol, 56(2), 244-247.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0300985818806051 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
- 2 Equine Veterinary Services, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Case-Control Studies
- Coloring Agents
- Ganglia, Sympathetic / cytology
- Ganglia, Sympathetic / pathology
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Primary Dysautonomias / diagnosis
- Primary Dysautonomias / pathology
- Primary Dysautonomias / veterinary
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