Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
PrPSc protein spread in brain and tissues of two cats with feline
By Hilbe, Monika M et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2009·Institute of Veterinary Pathology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Immunohistochemical study of PrP(Sc) distribution in neural and extraneural tissues of two cats with feline spongiform encephalopathy.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Two domestic shorthair cats were found to have progressive hind-limb weakness and increased aggression, leading to a diagnosis of Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy (FSE), a serious neurological disease. After they passed away, their brains were examined, revealing significant damage and abnormal protein deposits in various brain areas, including the thalamus and cerebellum. This condition is similar to diseases seen in other animals and humans. Unfortunately, there is no cure for FSE, and affected cats typically do not recover.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Two domestic shorthair cats presenting with progressive hind-limb ataxia and increased aggressiveness were necropsied and a post mortem diagnosis of Feline Spongiform Encephalopathy (FSE) was made. A wide spectrum of tissue samples was collected and evaluated histologically and immunohistologically for the presence of PrPSc. RESULTS: Histopathological examination revealed a diffuse vacuolation of the grey matter neuropil with the following areas being most severely affected: corpus geniculatum medialis, thalamus, gyrus dentatus of the hippocampus, corpus striatum, and deep layers of the cerebral and cerebellar cortex as well as in the brain stem. In addition, a diffuse glial reaction involving astrocytes and microglia and intraneuronal vacuolation in a few neurons in the brain stem was present.Heavy PrPSc immunostaining was detected in brain, retina, optic nerve, pars nervosa of the pituitary gland, trigeminal ganglia and small amounts in the myenteric plexus of the small intestine (duodenum, jejunum) and slightly in the medulla of the adrenal gland. CONCLUSION: The PrPSc distribution within the brain was consistent with that described in other FSE-affected cats. The pattern of abnormal PrP in the retina corresponded to that found in a captive cheetah with FSE, in sheep with scrapie and was similar to nvCJD in humans.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19335885/