Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Traumatic brain abscess due to Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus in a Foal.
- Journal:
- Veterinaria italiana
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Poci Palumbo, Mariana Isa et al.
- Affiliation:
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This report discusses a rare case of a 3-month-old female Quarter Horse that developed a brain abscess, which is a pocket of infection in the brain, caused by a bacteria called Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus. The foal showed signs of seizures, seemed very tired and depressed, and was blind in both eyes. A special imaging test called a CT scan revealed a large area of infection in the left side of her brain, along with a fracture in the skull. After the foal passed away, further examination confirmed the abscess was related to head trauma. This case highlights the importance of considering a brain abscess when a young horse shows signs of seizures or other serious neurological issues.
Abstract
Bacterial infection of the equine central nervous system is rare. This report describes the clinical features, computed tomography (CT) findings, and postmortem results of a 3-month-old female Quarter Horse with an intracranial abscess. Clinical signs included seizures, depression, and bilateral blindness. CT imaging demonstrated a large space-occupying lesion in the left cerebral hemisphere, associated with a frontal bone fracture. Necropsy and histopathology confirmed the presence of an abscess secondary to head trauma. Bacterial culture identified Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus as the causative agent. Brain abscess should be considered a differential diagnosis in foals presenting with seizures and other acute neurological abnormalities.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40904030/