Granulomatous nephritis and meningoencephalomyelitis caused by Halicephalobus gingivalis in a pony gelding

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science Vol. 69; no. 11; pp. 1187 - 1190
• Main Authors: Akagami, M.(Ibaraki-ken. Government Office, Mito (Japan)), Shibahara, T, Yoshiga, T, Tanaka, N, Yaguchi, Y, Onuki, T, Kondo, T, Yamanaka, T, Kubo, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan JAPANESE SOCIETY OF VETERINARY SCIENCE 01.11.2007; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Animals; ENCEFALITIS; ENCEPHALITE; ENCEPHALITIS; Granuloma - parasitology; Granuloma - pathology; Granuloma - veterinary; granulomatous nephritis; Halicephalobus gingivalis; HISTOPATHOLOGIE; HISTOPATHOLOGY; HISTOPATOLOGIA; Horse Diseases - parasitology; Horse Diseases - pathology; Horses; Male; MENINGITE; MENINGITIS; Meningoencephalitis - parasitology; Meningoencephalitis - pathology; Meningoencephalitis - veterinary; meningoencephalomyelitis; NEFRITIS; Nematoda; Nematoda - classification; Nematoda - genetics; Nematoda - isolation & purification; Nematode Infections - complications; Nematode Infections - parasitology; Nematode Infections - veterinary; NEPHRITE; NEPHRITIS; Nephritis - parasitology; Nephritis - pathology; Nephritis - veterinary; PANAGROLAIMIDAE; Phylogeny; PONEY; PONIES; SINTOMAS; SYMPTOME; SYMPTOMS
• ISSN: 0916-7250; 1347-7439
• DOI: 10.1292/jvms.69.1187

A ten-year-old Shetland pony gelding showed low appetite, ataxia, peculiar swaying, clouding of consciousness, and ultimately died. At necropsy, multiple coalescing granulomatous foci were detected in the kidneys, and small necrotic lesions were found in the cerebellum. Histologic examination of the renal tissue sections revealed extensive granuloma, and Halicephalobus gingivalis-like nematodes were seen. Similar nematodes were found in the granulomatous or necrotic lesions of the renal lymph nodes and cerebellum, and were also frequently detected in cerebrospinal meningovascular lesions. Morphologic features together with partial ribosomal RNA gene sequences of the nematodes in the lesions revealed that they were H. gingivalis. The present results indicated that H. gingivalis caused granulomatous nephritis and meningoencephalomyelitis in this pony gelding.