Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with spinal pain and unsteady walk from Sarcocystis brain
By Bisby, Tricia M et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2010·Department of Comparative Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Sarcocystis sp. encephalomyelitis in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 5-month-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was brought in for spinal pain, unsteady walking, and uneven pupil size. Tests showed signs of inflammation in the central nervous system and the presence of a protozoal infection. The cat tested positive for Sarcocystis sp. antibodies, which indicated a specific type of infection. After treatment with three different protocols for the infection, the cat's symptoms improved, and it was able to recover successfully.
People also search for: cat spinal pain treatment · cat ataxia causes · Sarcocystis infection in cats · cat neurological symptoms · cat protozoal infection recovery
Abstract
A 5-month-old male neutered domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for spinal pain, ataxia, and anisocoria. Neuroanatomic localization indicated diffuse or multifocal central nervous system disease. On cerebrospinal fluid analysis, neutrophilic pleocytosis and intracellular protozoal merozoites were observed. The merozoites were oval, 2-4 microm in width and 4-6 microm in length, and had linear arrays of nuclear material concentrated at one pole. Serum was positive for Sarcocystis sp. antibodies and negative for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The organism was determined to be either Sarcocystis neurona or Sarcocystis dasypi based on sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer 1 ribosomal RNA genomic region. Clinical disease resolved following treatment with 3 different protocols for protozoal infection. This case is the first to demonstrate the antemortem diagnosis and survival of a domestic cat with Sarcocystis sp.-associated encephalomyelitis. Clinicians and cytopathologists should include Sarcocystis sp. as a differential for feline inflammatory central nervous system disease characterized by neutrophilic pleocytosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19548967/