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Tropical animal health and production2013; 46(2); 371-377; doi: 10.1007/s11250-013-0498-9

Neurological trypanosomiasis in quinapyramine sulfate-treated horses–a breach of the blood-brain barrier?

Abstract: Trypanosoma evansi infection typically produces wasting disease, but it can also develop into a neurological or meningoencephalitis form in equids. Trypanosomiasis in horses was treated with quinapyramine sulfate, and all the 14 infected animals were recovered clinically. After clinical recovery, four animals developed a neurological form of the disease at various intervals. Two of these animals treated with diminazene aceturate recovered temporarily. Repeated attempts failed to find the parasite in the blood or the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), but all of the animals were positive in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The calculation of the antibody index (AI) in the serum and the CSF and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the CSF and brain tissue were carried out to confirm the neuro-infection. We found PCR and AI analyses of the CSF to be useful tools in the diagnosis of the neurological form of trypanosomiasis when the organism cannot be found in the blood or CSF. The increased albumin quotient is indicative of barrier leakage due to neuroinflammation. The biochemical changes in the CSF due to nervous system trypanosomiasis include increases in the albumin quotient, total protein, and urea nitrogen. It seems to be the first report on relapse of the nervous form of trypanosomiasis in equids even after quinapyramine treatment in endemic areas.
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Publication Date: 2013-11-06 PubMed ID: 24197687DOI: 10.1007/s11250-013-0498-9Google 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 paper investigates a neurological form of trypanosomiasis, (a wasting disease caused by a parasite), in horses which developed after treatment with quinapyramine sulfate, suggesting that there may be a breach of the blood-brain barrier.

Objective

The primary goal of this research was to study a wasting disease called trypanosomiasis in horses which unusually developed into a neurological form even after treatment with quinapyramine sulfate.

Sample and Methodology

  • The study treated 14 infected horses with quinapyramine sulfate, which resulted in clinical recovery for all animals.
  • However, four of the recovered animals later developed the neurological form of the disease at different intervals.
  • To confirm neuro-infection, antibody index (AI) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of the CSF and brain tissue were performed.

Results

  • The study could not find the parasite in either the blood or CSF of the animals, despite them being positive in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  • PCR and AI analyses of the CSF were determined to be useful tools in diagnosing the neurological form of trypanosomiasis when the organism cannot be located in the blood or CSF
  • The research revealed alterations in the CSF due to nervous system trypanosomiasis, including an increase in the albumin quotient, total protein, and urea nitrogen, suggesting neuroinflammation and a possible breach of the blood-brain barrier.

Conclusion

  • Despite treatment with quinapyramine sulfate, relapse of the nervous form of trypanosomiasis occurred in the horses.
  • The resulting disease suggests the first known incidence of such a relapse in horses in endemic areas after the standard treatment.

Cite This Article

APA
Ranjithkumar M, Saravanan BC, Yadav SC, Kumar R, Singh R, Dey S. (2013). Neurological trypanosomiasis in quinapyramine sulfate-treated horses–a breach of the blood-brain barrier? Trop Anim Health Prod, 46(2), 371-377. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0498-9

Publication

Tropical animal health and production
ISSN: 1573-7438
NlmUniqueID: 1277355
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 46
Issue: 2
Pages: 371-377

Researcher Affiliations

Ranjithkumar, Muthusamy
  • Division of Medicine, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, 243 122, India.
Saravanan, Buddhi Chandrasekaran
    Yadav, Suresh Chandra
      Kumar, Rajender
        Singh, Rajendra
          Dey, Sahadeb

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Blood-Brain Barrier
            • Central Nervous System Infections / epidemiology
            • Central Nervous System Infections / parasitology
            • Central Nervous System Infections / veterinary
            • Diminazene / analogs & derivatives
            • Diminazene / therapeutic use
            • Disease Outbreaks / veterinary
            • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / veterinary
            • Horse Diseases / parasitology
            • Horse Diseases / pathology
            • Horses
            • India / epidemiology
            • Quinolinium Compounds / therapeutic use
            • Trypanocidal Agents / therapeutic use
            • Trypanosoma / classification
            • Trypanosoma / isolation & purification
            • Trypanosomiasis / parasitology
            • Trypanosomiasis / pathology
            • Trypanosomiasis / veterinary

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