Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Radiculomeningomyelitis due to Halicephalobus gingivalis in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2001
- Authors:
- Johnson, J S et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Pathology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A horse was put to sleep after being diagnosed with a serious nerve condition affecting the lower back called cauda equina neuritis. During the examination after death, the veterinarians found significant inflammation and damage in the horse's lower spinal cord and nerve roots, which were filled with many larvae and some adult worms of a type called Halicephalobus gingivalis. This discovery shows that these worms can cause this specific nerve issue in horses. Unfortunately, the treatment options were not effective in saving the horse.
Abstract
An adult horse was euthanatized following a clinical diagnosis of cauda equina neuritis. Significant gross postmortem and histopathologic findings were limited to the sacral spinal cord and cauda equina. The sacral spinal cord, meninges, and spinal nerve roots were expanded and partially effaced by sclerosing granulomatous inflammation with necrosis. The lesion contained numerous nematode larvae and fewer adults with a rhabditiform esophagus having a corpus, isthmus, and valved bulb. Female nematodes were amphidelphic and didelphic with reflexed ovaries. These morphologic features confirm Halicephalobus gingivalis as a novel cause of clinical signs in this case of cauda equina neuritis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11572566/