Meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in horses: 28 cases (1985-2010).
Abstract: To describe clinical and clinicopathologic findings and outcome of horses with meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 28 horses. Methods: Medical records of horses admitted to the hospital during a 25-year period were reviewed. Horses with a definitive diagnosis of meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis were included in this study. Information extracted from the medical records included signalment, history, reason for admission, clinical signs, results of clinicopathologic testing and diagnostic procedures, treatment, outcome, and necropsy findings. Results: 22 horses had confirmed infectious disease (19 bacterial, 2 parasitic, and 1 fungal), 4 had suspected infectious disease on the basis of CSF cytologic examination findings, and 2 had noninfectious meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis. Trauma of the head and vertebral column with disruption of the blood-brain barrier and local ascending or hematogenous spread were the most common routes of infection. Common neurologic signs included abnormal mental status, cranial nerve deficits, vestibular dysfunction, ataxia, tetraparesis, and apparent neck pain. Common hematologic abnormalities included leukocytosis, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and hyperfibrinogenemia. Cytologic examination of CSF samples revealed moderate to marked suppurative inflammation. Mortality rate was 96.4%. Microbial culture of CSF yielded bacterial growth in 15 of 23 horses (before death [2 horses], after death [11], and both [2]). Conclusions: Results suggested that meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis are uncommon disorders in horses. Infectious disease was more common than noninfectious disease. Local trauma, ascending infection, or hematogenous spread of infection were the most common causes of meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis. Neurologic deficits, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, hyperfibrinogenemia, and CSF with neutrophilic pleocytosis were common findings in affected horses.
Publication Date: 2012-02-16 PubMed ID: 22332628DOI: 10.2460/javma.240.5.580Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article is a retrospective study analyzing clinical data from 28 horses diagnosed with meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis over a 25-year period. It reports the causes, symptoms, diagnostic findings, treatment outcomes, and mortality rates of these rare but serious conditions in horses.
Methodology of the Research
- The study is a retrospective examination of 28 horses diagnosed with meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis over a quarter of a century.
- The horses’ medical records were reviewed, including details such as breed, history, clinical symptoms, reasons for admission, results from clinicopathologic testing and diagnostic procedures, their treatment, the outcome, and findings from necropsies (post-mortem exams)
- To be included in the study, the horses had to have a definitive diagnosis of meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis.
Results and Findings
- Of the total horses, 22 had confirmed infectious diseases (19 bacterial, 2 parasitic, and 1 fungal). Four had suspected infectious diseases based on cytologic examination of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and two had noninfectious meningitis or meningoencephalomyelitis.
- In most cases, the infection was introduced into the body through trauma to the head or vertebral column that disrupted the blood-brain barrier, or by ascending or hematogenous (blood-borne) spread of the infection.
- The most common neurological symptoms included abnormal mental status, cranial nerve deficits, dysfunction of the vestibular system (which controls balance), ataxia (loss of full control of bodily movements), tetraparesis (weakness of all four limbs), and apparent neck pain.
- Common hematologic abnormalities included leukocytosis (increase in white blood cells), neutrophilia (increase in neutrophils), lymphopenia (low lymphocyte count), and hyperfibrinogenemia (high fibrinogen-a protein that helps in clotting- in the blood).
- Examination of CSF samples revealed moderate to severe inflammatory responses.
- The mortality rate was high, at 96.4%. In 15 of the 23 horses, microbial culture of the CSF yielded bacterial growth.
Conclusions from the Study
- The study concludes that meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis are rare disorders in horses.
- Infectious diseases are more common causes of these conditions than noninfectious ones.
- The most common causes of meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis are local trauma, ascending infection, or hematogenous spread of infection.
- Horses affected by these conditions commonly present with neurological deficits, an increase in neutrophils, a decrease in lymphocytes, an increase in fibrinogen, and cerebrospinal fluid showing an increase in neutrophils.
Cite This Article
APA
Toth B, Aleman M, Nogradi N, Madigan JE.
(2012).
Meningitis and meningoencephalomyelitis in horses: 28 cases (1985-2010).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 240(5), 580-587.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.240.5.580 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Female
- Horse Diseases / cerebrospinal fluid
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / mortality
- Horses
- Male
- Meningitis / cerebrospinal fluid
- Meningitis / etiology
- Meningitis / mortality
- Meningitis / pathology
- Meningitis / veterinary
- Meningoencephalitis / cerebrospinal fluid
- Meningoencephalitis / etiology
- Meningoencephalitis / mortality
- Meningoencephalitis / pathology
- Meningoencephalitis / veterinary
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 10 times.- Steiner N, Dembowski M, Moeselaken FR, Mirolo M, Ludlow M, Dierig JA, Mikić M, Watanangura A, Ulrich R, Puff C, Pees M, Nessler JN. Case Report: Meningoencephalomyelitis of unknown origin in foxes (Vulpes vulpes and Vulpes lagopus): insights into the diagnostic challenges in carnivore neurology. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1630662.
- Kabir A, Lamichhane B, Habib T, Adams A, El-Sheikh Ali H, Slovis NM, Troedsson MHT, Helmy YA. Antimicrobial Resistance in Equines: A Growing Threat to Horse Health and Beyond-A Comprehensive Review. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024 Jul 29;13(8).
- Vinardell T, Elestwani S, Jamieson C, Karim E, Robin M, Glynn S, Benini R, Aleman M. Electroencephalographic evaluation under standing sedation using sublingual detomidine hydrochloride in Egyptian Arabian foals for investigation of epilepsy. J Vet Intern Med 2023 May-Jun;37(3):1209-1215.
- Zakia LS, Albertino LG, Andrade DGA, Amorim RM, Takahira RR, Oliveira-Filho JP, Borges AS. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in horses, cattle, and sheep diagnosed with rabies: A retrospective study of 62 cases. Can Vet J 2022 Dec;63(12):1242-1246.
- Aleman MR, True A, Scalco R, Crowe CM, Costa LRR, Chigerwe M. Gentamicin-induced sensorineural auditory loss in healthy adult horses. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Sep;35(5):2486-2494.
- Fu DJ, Ramachandran A, Miller C. Streptococcus pluranimalium meningoencephalitis in a horse. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021 Sep;33(5):956-960.
- Arndt S, Kilcoyne I, Heney CM, Wong TS, Magdesian KG. Bacterial meningitis after dental extraction in a 17-year-old horse. Can Vet J 2021 Apr;62(4):403-407.
- Aleman M, Costa LRR, Crowe C, Kass PH. Presumed Neuroglycopenia Caused by Severe Hypoglycemia in Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Sep;32(5):1731-1739.
- Aleman M, Madigan JE, Williams DC, Holliday TA. Brainstem auditory evoked responses in an equine patient population. Part II: foals. J Vet Intern Med 2014 Jul-Aug;28(4):1318-24.
- 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.
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