Download PDF
Tierarztl Prax Ausg G Grosstiere Nutztiere 2017; 45(01): 42-46
DOI: 10.15653/TPG-141038
Case Report
Schattauer GmbH

Meningoencephalitis caused by pathogenic Sarcocystis species in a naturally infected sheep in Turkey

Meningoenzephalitis verursacht durch eine pathogene Sarcocystis-Spezies nach natürlicher Infektion bei einem Schaf in der Türkei
Aylin Alasonyalilar-Demirer
1   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
,
M. Mufit Kahraman
1   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
,
Ahmet Akkoç
1   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
,
S. Pelin Erturkuner
2   Department of Histology and Embryology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
,
E. Elif Guzel
2   Department of Histology and Embryology, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
,
Oguz Kul
3   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Turkey
,
Volkan Ipek
1   Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 23 June 2015

Accepted after revision: 11 January 2016

Publication Date:
09 January 2018 (online)

    Permissions and Reprints

Summary

A 3-year-old sheep was examined after an acute onset of hind limb paralysis and ataxia. At necropsy, central nervous system, pulmonary and intestinal hyperaemia and ecchymoses in the aortic arch were observed. Main microscopic lesions were confined to the heart, cerebrum and cerebellum. There were a multifocal mild myocarditis and nonsuppurative meningoencephalitis together with protozoal cysts in the heart and the brain. Protozoal cystic structures were observed within many of the myocardial fibers as well as in the cerebrum and cerebellum. Using light microscopy it could not be morphologically determined whether these organisms were Toxoplasma (T.) gondii or Neospora (N.) caninum. Additional diagnostic methods like immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction provided differentiation of Sarcocystis from T. gondii and N. caninum. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated characteristic features of Sarcocystis sp. as previously described. This is the first confirmed diagnosis of Sarcocystis sp. in the central nervous system of a sheep from Turkey.

Zusammenfassung

Ein 3-jähriges Schaf wurde nach akutem Einsetzen einer Paralyse der Hintergliedmaßen und Ataxie untersucht. Bei der Sektion wurden Hyper ämie des zentralen Nervensystems, der Lungen und des Darms sowie Ekchymosen im Aortenbogen beobachtet. Die wichtigsten mikroskopischen Läsionen beschränkten sich auf Herz, Großhirn und Kleinhirn. Es bestanden eine multifokale milde Myokarditis sowie eine nichteitrige Meningoenzephalitis mit Auftreten von Protozoenzysten. Zystische Strukturen mit protozoären Organismen wurden in vielen myokardialen Fasern, im Großhirn und Kleinhirn nachgewiesen. Die Gewebezysten konnten mittels Lichtmikroskopie morphologisch nicht von denen von Toxoplasma (T.) gondii und Neo spora (N.) caninum unterschieden werden. Zusätzliche diagnostische Verfahren wie Immunhistochemie und Polymerasekettenreaktion ermöglichten die Differenzierung zwischen Sarcocystis und T. gondii sowie N. caninum. Transmissionselektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen bestätigten zuvor beschriebene charakteristische Eigenschaften von Sarcocystis sp. Dies ist der erste Fall einer verifizierten Sarcocystis-sp.-Infektion des zentralen Nervensystems bei einem Schaf in der Türkei.

Keywords

Encephalitis - protozoa - histopathology - electron-microscopy - differentiation

Schlüsselwörter

Enzephalitis - Protozoen - Histopathologie - Elektronenmikroskopie - Differenzierung
 

  • References

  • 1 Dubey JP, Desmonts G, McDonald C, Walls KW. Serologic evaluation of cattle inoculated with Toxoplasma gondii: comparison of Sabin-Feldman dye test and other agglutination tests. Am J Vet Res 1985; 46 (05) 1085-1088.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Dubey DP. Lesions in sheep inoculated with Sarcocystis tenella sporocysts from canine feces. Vet Parasitol 1988; 26: 237-252.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Georgieva DA, Prelezov PN, Konarski TS. Neospora caninum and neosporosis in animals: A review. Bulg J Vet Med 2006; 9 (19) 1-26.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Haziroglu R, Guvenc T, Tunca R. Electron microscopical studies on cysts of Sarcocystis arieticanis within cardiac muscle of naturally infected sheep. Parasitol Res 2002; 89 (01) 23-25.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Henderson JM, Dies KH, Haines DM, Higgs GW, Ayrroud M. Neurological symptoms associated with sarcocystosis in adult sheep. Can Vet J 1997; 38: 168-170.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Higa AC, Machado RZ, Tinucci-Costa M, Domingues LM, Malheiros EB. Evaluation of cross-reactivitiy of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum antigens in dogs sera. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2000; 9 (02) 91-95.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Kul O, Yildiz K, Ocal N, Freyre A, Deniz A, Karahan S, Atmaca HT, Gokpinar S, Dincel GC, Uzunalioglu T, Terzi OT. In-vivo efficacy of toltrazuril on experimentally induced Toxoplasma gondii tissue cysts in lambs: A novel strategy for prevention of human exposure to meat-borne toxoplasmosis. Res Vet Sci 94 2012; (02) 269-276.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Liddell S, Jenkins MC, Dubey JP. Vertical transmission of Neospora caninum in BALB/c mice determined by polymerase chain reaction detection. J Parasitol 1999; 85: 550-555.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Lighezan R, Baderca F, Alexa A, Iacovliev M, Bonte D, Murarescu ED, Nebunu A. The value of the reprocessing method of parafin-embedded biopsies for transmission electron microscopy. Rom J Morphol Embryol 2009; 50 (04) 613-617.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Moon MH. Serological cross reactivity between Sarcocystis and Toxoplasma in pigs. Korean J Pathol 1987; 25 (02) 188-194.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Muller N, Zimmermann V, Hentrich B, Gottstein B. Diagnosis of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infection by PCR and DNA hybridization immunoassay. J Clin Microbiol 1996; 34: 2850-2852.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Maier K, Olias P, Enderlein D, Klopfleisch R, Mayr SL, Gruber AD, Lierz M. Parasite distribution and early-stage encephalitis in Sarcocystis calchasi infections in domestic pigeons. Avian Pathol 2015; 44 (01) 5-12.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Ortega-Mora LM, Gottstein B, Conraths FJ, Buxton D. Protozoal abortion in farm ruminants: Guidelines for Diagnosis and Control. CABI Head Office, Athenaeum Press; 2007. Gateshead, United Kingdom: 127-128.
    Google Scholar
  • 14 O’Toole D, Jeffrey M, Challoner D, Maybey R, Welch V. Ovine myeloencephalitis-leukomyelomalacia associated with a Sarcocystis-like protozoan. J Vet Diagn Invest 1993; 5: 212-225.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Ozmen O, Sahinduran S, Haligur M, Yukari BA, Dorrestein GM. Encephalitic sarcocystosis and its prophylactic treatment in sheep. Turk J Vet Anim Sci 2009; 33 (02) 151-155.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Reiter-Owona I, Petersen E, Joynson D, Aspock H, Darde ML, Disko R, Dreazen O, Dumon H, Grillo R, Gross U, Hayde M, Holliman R, Ho-Yen DO, Janitschke K, Jenum PA, Naser K, Olszewski M, Thulliez P, Seitz HM. The past and present role of the Sabin-Feldman dye test in the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 1999; 77 (11) 929-935.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Sabin A, Feldman HA. Dyes as microchemical indicators of new immunity phenomenon affecting a protozoon parasite (Toxoplasma). Science 1948; 108: 660-663.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Saki CE, Deger S, Ozer E. Türkiye’de sarkosporidiozis. YYU Vet Fak Derg 2010; 21 (02) 1134.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Taylor MA, Coop RL, Wall RL. Veterinary Parasitology. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell; 2007: 223.
    Google Scholar
  • 20 Tenter AM. Current research on Sarcocystis species of domestic animals. Int J Parasitol 1995; 25 (11) 1311-1330.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Vlemmas I, Kanakoudis G, Tsangaris TH, Theodorides I, Kaldrymidou E. Ultrastructure of Sarcocystis tenella (Sarcocystis ovicanis). Vet Parasitol 1989; 33 (3–4): 207-217.
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 22 Yazicioglu O, Beyazit A. Encephalomyelitis associated with a Sarcocystis-like protozoan in a ten-month-old ewe lamb. Turk J Vet Anim Sci 2005; 29: 1209-1212.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar