FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc2000; 12(2); 162-165; doi: 10.1177/104063870001200213

Halicephalobus gingivalis (H. deletrix) infection in two horses in southern California.

Abstract: Two horses, a 16-year-old male Holsteiner and a 5-year-old male miniature horse, were diagnosed with halicephalobiasis at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, San Bernardino Branch, in April and June of 1998. Over a period of 4 weeks, the Holsteiner horse developed renal dysfunction, blepharospasm, and blindness in the right eye. A 15-cm-diameter mass was detected on ultrasound examination in the right kidney. Terminally, the animal developed seizures and was euthanized. The miniature horse had a 6-week-long illness characterized by testicular enlargement and uveitis. This animal developed ataxia and died. Necropsy examination revealed bilateral enlargement of the kidneys in both horses, petechial hemorrhages of the optic nerve (Holsteiner), and a diffusely firm and enlarged left testicle (miniature horse). Microscopic evaluation of tissues revealed granulomatous nephritis, optic neuritis, retinitis, and encephalitis in both horses and orchitis in only the miniature horse with intralesional rhabditiform nematodes. Halicephalobus gingivalis was found in the urine sediment of both animals and in semen of the Holsteiner horse.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2000-03-24 PubMed ID: 10730949DOI: 10.1177/104063870001200213Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Case Reports
  • Journal Article

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 two cases of horses in southern California that were diagnosed with an infection caused by the nematode Halicephalobus gingivalis, demonstrating various symptoms such as renal dysfunction, blindness, and in severe cases, seizures. The paper also notes the detection of the infectious agent in the urine and semen of the horses.

Subject of Study

  • The research is focused on two cases of horses in Southern California that were diagnosed with an infection named halicephalobiasis. The causative agent for this infection is the nematode Halicephalobus gingivalis.

Progression of the Disease

  • One of the horses, a 16-year-old Holsteiner, developed symptoms of renal dysfunction, eye spasms (blepharospasm), and blindness in the right eye over a period of 4 weeks. The horse also developed a mass in its right kidney. The condition became severe and the horse had to be euthanized after it started having seizures.
  • The other case was of a 5-year-old male miniature horse that displayed symptoms such as testicular enlargement and uveitis for a duration of 6 weeks. The horse also developed ataxia (loss of control of body movements) and was later found dead.

Necropsy Findings

  • On necropsy examination, there were noticeable bilateral enlargements of the kidneys in both horses. The researchers also found petechial hemorrhages of the optic nerve in the Holsteiner horse and a diffusely firm and enlarged left testicle in the miniature horse.

Microscopic Evaluation

  • Upon microscopic evaluation of the tissues, the researchers uncovered granulomatous nephritis, optic neuritis, retinitis, and encephalitis in both horses. The smaller horse was also found to have orchitis (inflammation of one or both testicles).

Detection of the Infectious Agent

  • The investigators found evidence of Halicephalobus gingivalis, the disease-causing nematode, in the urine sediment of both horses. The Holsteiner horse also had this nematode present in its semen.

Cite This Article

APA
Kinde H, Mathews M, Ash L, St Leger J. (2000). Halicephalobus gingivalis (H. deletrix) infection in two horses in southern California. J Vet Diagn Invest, 12(2), 162-165. https://doi.org/10.1177/104063870001200213

Publication

Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
ISSN: 1040-6387
NlmUniqueID: 9011490
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Pages: 162-165

Researcher Affiliations

Kinde, H
  • California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, San Bernardino 92408, USA.
Mathews, M
    Ash, L
      St Leger, J

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Horse Diseases / parasitology
        • Horse Diseases / pathology
        • Horses
        • Kidney Diseases / parasitology
        • Kidney Diseases / veterinary
        • Male
        • Nematode Infections / pathology
        • Nematode Infections / veterinary
        • Retinitis / etiology
        • Retinitis / veterinary
        • Testicular Diseases / pathology
        • Testicular Diseases / veterinary

        Citations

        This article has been cited 14 times.
        1. 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.
          doi: 10.3347/PHD.23066pubmed: 38443776google scholar: lookup
        2. Olofsson KM, van de Velde N, Peletto S, Iulini B, Pratley L, Modabberzadeh B, Małek E, Grandi G. First Swedish case of fatal equine parasitic encephalitis by Halicephalobus gingivalis. Acta Vet Scand 2023 Dec 15;65(1):56.
          doi: 10.1186/s13028-023-00719-5pubmed: 38102633google scholar: lookup
        3. Faghihzadeh Gorji F, Sadr S, Sharifiyazdi H, Borji H. The first molecular isolation of Halicephalobus gingivalis from horses in Iran. Vet Res Commun 2024 Feb;48(1):527-531.
          doi: 10.1007/s11259-023-10188-wpubmed: 37541991google scholar: lookup
        4. Pillai VV, Mudd LJ, Sola MF. Disseminated Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in a horse. J Vet Diagn Invest 2023 Mar;35(2):173-177.
          doi: 10.1177/10406387221141698pubmed: 36482716google scholar: lookup
        5. Geiger T, Gerhards H, Bjelica B, Mackenthun E, Wollanke B. Analysis of 1840 Equine Intraocular Fluid Samples for the Presence of Anti-Leptospira Antibodies and Leptospiral DNA and the Correlation to Ophthalmologic Findings in Terms of Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)-A Retrospective Study. Vet Sci 2022 Aug 21;9(8).
          doi: 10.3390/vetsci9080448pubmed: 36006363google scholar: lookup
        6. Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
          doi: 10.3390/microorganisms10020387pubmed: 35208842google scholar: lookup
        7. Kanzaki N, Liang WR, Chiu CI, Yang CT, Hsueh YP, Li HF. Nematode-free agricultural system of a fungus-growing termite. Sci Rep 2019 Jun 20;9(1):8917.
          doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-44993-8pubmed: 31222010google scholar: lookup
        8. 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
        9. 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
        10. Taulescu MA, Ionicã AM, Diugan E, Pavaloiu A, Cora R, Amorim I, Catoi C, Roccabianca P. First report of fatal systemic Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in two Lipizzaner horses from Romania: clinical, pathological, and molecular characterization. Parasitol Res 2016 Mar;115(3):1097-103.
          doi: 10.1007/s00436-015-4839-7pubmed: 26631187google scholar: lookup
        11. Lim CK, Crawford A, Moore CV, Gasser RB, Nelson R, Koehler AV, Bradbury RS, Speare R, Dhatrak D, Weldhagen GF. First human case of fatal Halicephalobus gingivalis meningoencephalitis in Australia. J Clin Microbiol 2015 May;53(5):1768-74.
          doi: 10.1128/JCM.00032-15pubmed: 25694532google scholar: lookup
        12. Henneke C, Jespersen A, Jacobsen S, Nielsen MK, McEvoy F, Jensen HE. The distribution pattern of Halicephalobus gingivalis in a horse is suggestive of a haematogenous spread of the nematode. Acta Vet Scand 2014 Sep 19;56(1):56.
          doi: 10.1186/s13028-014-0056-0pubmed: 25233889google scholar: lookup
        13. Jung JY, Lee KH, Rhyoo MY, Byun JW, Bae YC, Choi E, Kim C, Jean YH, Lee MH, Yoon SS. Meningoencephalitis caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis in a thoroughbred gelding. J Vet Med Sci 2014 Mar 1;76(2):281-4.
          doi: 10.1292/jvms.13-0437pubmed: 24107465google scholar: lookup
        14. Ferguson R, van Dreumel T, Keystone JS, Manning A, Malatestinic A, Caswell JL, Peregrine AS. Unsuccessful treatment of a horse with mandibular granulomatous osteomyelitis due to Halicephalobus gingivalis. Can Vet J 2008 Nov;49(11):1099-103.
          pubmed: 19183732
        Subscribe to our newsletter
        Join 99,824 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.