Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eastern equine encephalitis causing fever and depression in puppies
By Farrar, Michele D et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2005·The University of Georgia, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Eastern equine encephalitis in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Twelve puppies under six months old were found to have neurological problems like fever, depression, and difficulty moving after being diagnosed with Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a virus spread by mosquitoes. The puppies showed signs of brain inflammation during examinations, and tests confirmed the presence of the virus. Unfortunately, the abstract does not provide information on treatment or outcomes for these puppies. If you notice similar symptoms in your puppy, it's important to consult your veterinarian for guidance and possible testing.
People also search for: puppy fever and depression · Eastern equine encephalitis in dogs · dog neurological problems treatment
Abstract
Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) is an Alphavirus that is endemic in the Southeastern United States. From 1993 to January 2005, the Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory in Tifton, Georgia, performed postmortem examinations on over 101 domestic canines exhibiting clinical neurological disturbances. In 12 of these dogs, brains were histologically suggestive of infection with EEEV. All dogs were less than 6 months of age, with no breed predilection. Clinical signs included pyrexia, depression, nystagmus, and lateral recumbency. Microscopically, brains from all 12 puppies contained infiltrates of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and histiocytes, with occasional neutrophils and random foci of astrocytosis and gliosis. There were mild to moderate perivascular infiltrates of neutrophils along with scattered lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages in the meninges. Viruses isolated from brain homogenates of all 12 puppies were confirmed by indirect fluorescent antibody testing to be EEEV. Additionally, RNA extracted from the brains and viral cultures of 2 dogs were determined by a specific reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to contain EEEV. The single available serum sample exhibited a 1:8 serum neutralization titer to EEEV.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16475527/