Verminous (Strongylus vulgaris) myelitis in a donkey.

The research recounts an unusual case where a parasitic organism, the fifth stage of Strongylus vulgaris, caused significant damage in the spinal cord of a two-year-old donkey, leading to paralysis.

Key Findings

• The examination of the cerebrospinal fluid detected significant neutrophilic pleocytosis, suggesting an inflammatory response to the infection.
• Notably, the parasite appears to have entered the mid-lumbar region of the spinal cord, moved to the thoracic area, exited, and re-entered the spinal cord closer to the head. The parasite was finally found in the third cervical spinal cord segment.
• The impact of the parasite’s journey varied across different portions of the spine. Some areas had limited tissue death, hemorrhaging, and inflammation while others showed severe damages including granulomatous myelitis, significant hemorrhage, and necrosis (cell death).
• The severe lesions observed were similar to the ones found in cases of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, a recognized neurologic disease in horses.

Implication and Conclusion

• This study highlights the potential devastating impact a parasitic infection can have on an animal’s central nervous system. In this case, the donkey suffered from progressive paraparesis (partial paralysis) evolving into tetraplegia (total paralysis).
• Understanding the mobility of the Strongylus vulgaris inside the host’s body, its lifespan, and the type of damage that it can inflict are important information for devising effective treatment strategies.
• More research is needed to investigate whether these findings are applicable to different species and how such damages might be prevented or treated.