Fatal canine encephalitozoonosis in Latin America, first report

• Autores: Postma, Gabriela Cintia; Pardini, Lais; Carnevale, Silvana; Gregnoli, Elena; Quiroga, María Alejandra; Venturini, María Cecilia; Minatel, Leonardo
• Año de publicación: 2018
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Fuente: Veterinary Parasitology: Regional Studies and Reports 2018; 11:15-18
• Materia: Encefalitis; Encephalitozoon cuniculi; Nefritis; Factores de Edad; Animales; Anticuerpos Antifúngicos; Encéfalo; Diagnóstico Diferencial; Enfermedades de los Perros; Perros; Encefalitozoonosis; Resultado Fatal; Femenino; Riñón; América Latina
• Institución: Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán"

Fil: Postma, Gabriela Cintia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina.
Fil: Pardini, Lais. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología; Argentina.
Fil: Carnevale, Silvana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Departamento de Parasitología; Argentina.
Fil: Gregnoli, Elena. Actividad privada; Argentina.
Fil: Quiroga, María Alejandra. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Patología Especial Veterinaria; Argentina.
Fil: Venturini, María Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Laboratorio de Inmunoparasitología; Argentina.
Fil: Minatel, Leonardo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina.
Encephalitozoon cuniculi is an obligate, intracellular microsporidian organism capable of establish infection in a wide variety of animals. In carnivores it may cause a sporadic, severe disease in the first few months of life, which usually culminates with the death of the animal. The objective of this study was to report a natural fatal case of encephalitozoonosis in a puppy from Argentina. Clinical signs included reduced appetite, depression, vocalizing, weight loss, weakness, convulsions and recumbency. No significant gross lesions were noticed at necropsy. Microscopically, severe, diffuse, lymphocytic encephalitis was seen. Large cytoplasmic vacuoles containing spores, morphologically compatible with E. cuniculi, were present within endothelial cells of brain and kidney, in renal tubular epithelium and hepatocytes. Encephalitozoon cuniculi DNA was detected by PCR in the kidney. Antibody titers to E. cuniculi in serum from the surviving puppies and the dam were ≥1:200. This report contributes to our understanding of neurologic disease in puppies. Encephalitozoonosis should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cases of fatal encephalitis in puppies.