Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Infection causing kidney issues and blindness in two horses in
By Kinde, H et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2000·California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Halicephalobus gingivalis (H. deletrix) infection in two horses in southern California.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
Two horses in southern California were diagnosed with an infection caused by a type of roundworm called Halicephalobus gingivalis. The first horse, a 16-year-old male Holsteiner, developed kidney problems, severe eye twitching, and eventually went blind in one eye. After four weeks, he had seizures and was put to sleep to prevent further suffering. The second horse, a 5-year-old male miniature horse, had swollen testicles and eye inflammation for six weeks, then became uncoordinated and died. Both horses showed signs of serious internal damage, including kidney enlargement and bleeding in the optic nerve, and the infection was confirmed in their urine and the Holsteiner's semen. Unfortunately, both horses did not survive their illnesses.
Abstract
Two horses, a 16-year-old male Holsteiner and a 5-year-old male miniature horse, were diagnosed with halicephalobiasis at the California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, San Bernardino Branch, in April and June of 1998. Over a period of 4 weeks, the Holsteiner horse developed renal dysfunction, blepharospasm, and blindness in the right eye. A 15-cm-diameter mass was detected on ultrasound examination in the right kidney. Terminally, the animal developed seizures and was euthanized. The miniature horse had a 6-week-long illness characterized by testicular enlargement and uveitis. This animal developed ataxia and died. Necropsy examination revealed bilateral enlargement of the kidneys in both horses, petechial hemorrhages of the optic nerve (Holsteiner), and a diffusely firm and enlarged left testicle (miniature horse). Microscopic evaluation of tissues revealed granulomatous nephritis, optic neuritis, retinitis, and encephalitis in both horses and orchitis in only the miniature horse with intralesional rhabditiform nematodes. Halicephalobus gingivalis was found in the urine sediment of both animals and in semen of the Holsteiner horse.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10730949/