Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Septic peritonitis due to colonic perforation associated with aberrant migration of a Gasterophilus intestinalis larva in a horse.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 2003
- Authors:
- Lapointe, J-M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Pfizer Global Research and Development · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A quarter horse mare was brought in because she was experiencing severe stomach pain and had a fever. After examining her and taking a sample from her abdomen, the veterinarians found she had a serious infection in her belly caused by a hole in her colon. Unfortunately, the mare was put to sleep due to the severity of her condition. A closer examination after her passing revealed that a bot fly larva had burrowed deeply into her colon, causing the infection. This case is notable because it's the first time such deep damage from a bot fly larva has been reported, leading to this serious health issue.
Abstract
An adult quarter horse mare was presented with acute colic and fever. Physical examination and abdominocentesis showed septic peritonitis, and the mare was euthanatized. Necropsy and histopathologic examination revealed a focal partial perforation of the right ventral colon, which contained a single bot fly larva, identified as a third-instar larva of Gasterophilus intestinalis. This larva was embedded deep within the muscularis and the submucosa. Although bot fly larvae are known to attach to aberrant sites within the digestive tract, this is the first known report of deep penetration of the colon by a gasterophilus larva, with the resulting leakage of intestinal content leading to septic peritonitis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12724578/