Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Horse with severe eye inflammation due to Halicephalobus parasite
By Rames, D S et al.·Published in Veterinary pathology·1995·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Ocular Halicephalobus (syn. Micronema) deletrix in a horse.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A horse with severe eye inflammation (uveitis) for four weeks was found to have a rare parasite called Halicephalobus deletrix in its eye. After surgery to remove the affected eye contents and place a prosthesis, the horse started showing neurological problems and was later euthanized. A post-mortem examination revealed that the parasite had spread to the brain, causing serious inflammation. This case highlights the potential for this parasite to affect not just the eye but also the nervous system.
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Abstract
Ocular contents from a horse with a 4-week history of severe unilateral uveitis were submitted for histopathologic examination. A severe unilateral granulomatous chorioretinitis with intralesional Halicephalobus deletrix was diagnosed. The horse developed progressive neurologic signs several days following the surgery to remove ocular contents and implant a prosthesis and was subsequently euthanatized. A severe multifocal granulomatous encephalitis with intralesional H. deletrix, localized primarily to the optic chiasm, thalamus, and brain stem, was diagnosed from tissues acquired at necropsy. The other eye was not affected. This is the first report of ocular parasitism by H. deletrix and suggests possible systemic dissemination from a primary site in the eye.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8578647/