Parasitic nephritis and meningoencephalomyelitis in a horse

Abstract

A 10-year-old horse developed ataxia and incoordination and was submitted for necropsy after euthanasia. The main gross postmortem finding was of bilateral renal masses, and a renal carcinoma had been suspected. Also, nematodes were present in histological sections of the cervical spinal cord. The microscopic feature was marked granulomatous inflammation, in both kidneys and local lymph nodes, and the clinical and morphologic features of this case resemble those observed in other reports of Halicephalobus gingivalis infection in horses. Aspects of the pathogenesis and pathology are discussed. Infection with H gingivalis should be included in the differential diagnosis of horses with acute neurological disease. However, lesions of H gingivalis are likely to be present in other organs that may be clinically inapparent. Owing to the widespread geographic distribution of H gingivalis and its zoonotic potential, this parasite poses a risk to animal and human health.

The Future of Parasitology: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Parasite zoonoses can result from ingesting food containing the parasite, such as meat (taeniasis, toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis); fish (anisakiosis, clonorchiosis, diphyllobothriosis), or invertebrate crustaceans (paragonimiosis); or by ingestion of the infective stage of the worm with contaminated soil (toxocariosis; echinococcosis), water, or vegetables (fascioliosis; echinococcosis; toxocariosis). Also, infection can occur via skin contact with contaminated soil/water containing infective larvae and subsequent skin penetration [e.g., cercarial dermatitis and cutaneous larva migrans in humans; Strongyloides stercoralis in dogs and primates, and Halicephalobus gingivalis , a free-living nematode that opportunistically infects horses (10) and humans (11)] or through insect vectors/intermediate hosts by ingestion (dipylidiosis) or injection by a mosquito (dirofilariosis). Some arthropods of animals such as ticks frequently attack humans and can cause tick paralysis and transmit many viral, bacterial, and protozoan diseases of animals to humans.…”