Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with paraparesis caused by spinal cord protothecosis infection
By Asiag, Nimrod et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc·2022·Koret School of Veterinary Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Spinal cord protothecosis causing paraparesis in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 4-year-old mixed-breed dog developed weakness in its back legs (paraparesis) after experiencing weight loss and diarrhea. The veterinarian diagnosed the dog with a rare infection caused by green algae, known as protothecosis, using tests on the dog's spinal fluid. Despite treatment, the dog's condition worsened, leading to additional neurological issues, and the owner ultimately chose to euthanize the dog. This case highlights the importance of specific tests for diagnosing this serious infection in dogs.
People also search for: dog back leg weakness · mixed-breed dog diarrhea weight loss · protothecosis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Protothecosis, an infectious disease caused by the green algaeand, occurs sporadically in domestic animals and humans. Diagnosis of CNS protothecosis is based on neurologic signs that indicate multifocal nervous system lesions and that follow a period of chronic diarrhea and weight loss, cytologic observation of algae in fecal culture or histopathology, and detection of the agent by PCR assay of infected tissues. Here, we report a case of a paraparetic dog with CNS protothecosis that was diagnosed definitively antemortem using CSF cytology, PCR, and DNA sequencing. A 4-y-old mixed-breed dog developed progressive paraparesis that followed weight loss and diarrhea. CSF analysis revealed marked eosinophilic pleocytosis.organisms were detected by microscopic examination of the CSF, and speciated asby CSF PCR and DNA sequencing. Other possible causes of paraparesis were ruled out using computed tomography, serology, and CSF PCR. The dog's condition deteriorated despite treatment, developing forebrain and central vestibular system clinical signs, and it was euthanized at the owner's request. Postmortem examination was declined. Our findings indicate that when CNS protothecosis is suspected, antemortem diagnosis can be made using CSF analysis and a PCR assay.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35459409/