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Histologic characterization of eosinophilic encephalitis in horses in Florida.
Abstract: Eosinophils within the central nervous system are abnormal and are usually associated with fungal or parasitic infections in horses. Causative agents include Halicephalobus gingivalis, Sarcocystis neurona, and Neospora hughesi. Confirmation of these organisms via specific testing is typically not performed, and final diagnoses are often presumptive. With molecular technology, many of these organisms can now be confirmed. This is important for emerging and zoonotic pathogens, including Angiostrongylus cantonensis, an emerging parasite of interest in the southeastern United States. We retrospectively analyzed eosinophilic encephalitides in Floridian horses for H. gingivalis, S. neurona, and A. cantonensis, applied descriptors to equine eosinophilic encephalitides, and determined if a relationship existed between these descriptions and specific etiologic agents. In a database search for horses with eosinophilic and other encephalitides submitted to the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Anatomic Pathology Service, we identified 27 horses with encephalitis, and performed DNA isolation and rtPCR on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from these cases. Real-time PCR identified 6 horses positive for S. neurona and 4 horses positive for H. gingivalis; all horses were negative for A. cantonensis. All 25 control horses were negative for H. gingivalis, S. neurona, and A. cantonensis. Pattern analysis and eosinophil enumeration were not useful in differentiating among causes of eosinophilic encephalitides in horses in our study.
Publication Date: 2018-03-12 PubMed ID: 29528809PubMed Central: PMC6505826DOI: 10.1177/1040638718763877Google 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.
- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article focuses on a study aimed at understanding better the occurrence of eosinophilic encephalitis—a condition linked to fungal or parasitic infections in horses—and examining if there’s a relationship between specific descriptions of the condition and its causative agents using molecular tests.
Objectives of the Study
- The researchers aimed to study eosinophilic encephalitis, an abnormal medical condition in horses when eosinophils—a type of white blood cell—occur within the central nervous system. This abnormal presence is generally associated with parasitic or fungal infections caused by several agents, including Halicephalobus gingivalis, Sarcocystis neurona, and Neospora hughesi.
- The study also intended to apply specific descriptors to this equine condition and explore if there’s a connection between these descriptors and the causative organisms.
Methodology
- The researchers carried out a retrospective study on eosinophilic encephalitides in horses from Florida.
- They used molecular technology to identify these causative organisms, emphasizing the importance of confirmation for zoonotic and emerging pathogens, such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
- In their study, the researchers analyzed samples from 27 horses diagnosed with encephalitis that were submitted to the University of Florida, College of Veterinary Medicine, Anatomic Pathology Service. This was done using DNA isolation and rtPCR on the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks.
Findings
- An rtPCR identified six horses infected with Sarcocystis neurona and four with Halicephalobus gingivalis. None of the horses showed infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
- All control horses in the study were uninfected by Halicephalobus gingivalis, Sarcocystis neurona, and Angiostrongylus cantonensis.
- The study concluded that pattern analysis and eosinophil enumeration were ineffective in differentiating between the causes of eosinophilic encephalitides in the study’s horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Zoll WM, Prakoso D, Dark M, Liu J, Stockdale-Walden H, Long MT.
(2018).
Histologic characterization of eosinophilic encephalitis in horses in Florida.
J Vet Diagn Invest, 30(3), 442-446.
https://doi.org/10.1177/1040638718763877 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Department of Comparative, Diagnostic, and Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine (Zoll, Prakoso, Dark, Liu, Stockdale-Walden, Long), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
- Emerging Pathogens Institute (Dark), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Coccidiosis / pathology
- Coccidiosis / veterinary
- Encephalomyelitis, Equine / parasitology
- Encephalomyelitis, Equine / pathology
- Encephalomyelitis, Equine / veterinary
- Eosinophilia / parasitology
- Eosinophilia / pathology
- Eosinophilia / veterinary
- Eosinophils / pathology
- Florida
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / parasitology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Neospora / genetics
- Neospora / isolation & purification
- Predictive Value of Tests
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
- Rhabditida / genetics
- Rhabditida / isolation & purification
- Rhabditida Infections / parasitology
- Rhabditida Infections / pathology
- Rhabditida Infections / veterinary
- Sarcocystis / genetics
- Sarcocystis / isolation & purification
- Sarcocystosis / pathology
- Sarcocystosis / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the
research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
References
This article includes 18 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Countrymann K, Ruby R, Miller AD. A retrospective study of 171 cases of equine meningoencephalomyelitis in the United States, 1996-2023. J Vet Diagn Invest 2026 Jan;38(1):100-111.
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