Infectious Diseases of the Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the most frequent etiology of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis? What other microorganism can cause it? Where is this disease most common?

A

Sarcocystic neurona - obligate intracellular Apicomplexa

Neospora hughesi

USA —> NA opossums!

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2
Q

What are environmental/management, horse, and parasite risk factors that increase likelihood of EPM development?

A

stress, season, housing, food, region

use/breed, age, number, immunity

type, number

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3
Q

What is the lifecycle of Sarcocystis neurona like?

A

3 hosts

  • DH - opossum
  • IH - raccoons, house, armadillos, skunks
  • aberrant hosts - horse ingestion of contaminated food or water with opossum feces
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4
Q

What is the suspected Neospora hughesi lifecycle?

A

indirect (2 hosts)

  • DH - carnivores (dogs?)
  • IH - ungulates (horses?) due to ingestion of contaminated food/water
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5
Q

What is the pathogenesis of EPM?

A
  • inflammation
  • neuronal necrosis
  • lack of clearance from CNS
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6
Q

What 2 macroscopic lesions are seen with EPM? Where is this most commonly found?

A
  1. multifocal hemorrhage
  2. foci of malacia and discoloration

gray and white matter of the spinal cord and brainstem

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7
Q

What 3 microscopic lesions are seen with EPM?

A
  1. parasite observed
  2. diffuse nonsuppurative inflammation and necrosis
  3. perivascular infiltration of mononuclear cells
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8
Q

What are the most common signs seen with EPM?

A

STALL —> the great imposter

  • stumbling or tripping
  • tilted head
  • asymmetrical muscle loss
  • lameness
  • leaning against walls

(AAA —> ataxia, asymmetry, atrophy)

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9
Q

What is the best antemortem diagnostic for EPM? What allows for definitive diagnosis?

A

positive serum/CSF ratio (intrathecal Ab) - many will be seropositive due to exposure, a negative is a good rule out

post-mortem examination (micro and macroscopic)

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10
Q

What are the 3 FDA-approved EPM treatments?

A
  1. Sulfonamide/Pyrimethamine
  2. Ponazuril (triazine antiprotozoal)
  3. Diclazuril (triazine antiprotozoal)
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11
Q

What form is Sulfadiazine/Pyrimethamine available in? What is its mechanism of action?

A

oral suspension - ReBalance

inhibits tetrahydrofolate synthesis

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12
Q

What is the duration of treatment of EPM with Sulfadiazine/Pyrimethamine? How is it offered with the diet?

A

90-270 days

withhold hay 2 hours before and after

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13
Q

What 3 adverse reactions are associated with Sulfadiazine/Pyrimethamine?

A
  1. anorexia
  2. intestinal issues
  3. bone marrow suppression
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14
Q

What formulation of Ponazuril is available? What is its mechanism of action?

A

oral paste - Marquis

acts on chloroplast-related material

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15
Q

What is the dose of Ponazuril like? What is the duration of treatment?

A

loading dose 3x normal dose for a day followed by normal maintenance dose

28 days or until no further improvement - will likely need 4-5 tubes

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16
Q

What formulation of Diclazuril? What is its mechanism of action? What is the duration of treatment?

A

pellets - Protazil

acts on chloroplast-related material

28 days, no loading dose needed (1 bucket)

17
Q

What are some unofficial/off-label (illegal) drugs used for EPM?

A
  • compounded Sulfadiazine/Pyrimethamine
  • Diclazuril sodium salt/IV
  • Toltrazuril (compounded with pyrimethamine) - Baycox, not approved in US
  • Decoquinate + Levamisole - Orogin, not allowed in performance horses
18
Q

Other than anti-protozoals, what are 3 other treatments used for EPM?

A
  1. anti-inflammatory - NSAIDs (Banamine), steroids if danger of recumbency
  2. anti-oxidants - DMSO, vitamin E
  3. supportive care - nutrition, preventative care
19
Q

What is the prognosis of EPM like?

A

60% improve

  • 10% relapse in 1-3 years
20
Q

What are 2 important factors used to prevent EPM?

A
  1. avoid stress
  2. reduce exposure to opossum feces - feed off ground, separate fresh water source, no wildlife access to pasture or stalls
21
Q

What are the 2 families of equine herpes virusus?

A

ALPHA
- EHV1: respiratory, abortion, neurologic
- EHV3: equine coital exanthema
- EHV4: upper respiratory (+ abortion)

GAMMA
- EHV2 an EHV5

22
Q

What is the etiology of neurologic equine herpesvirus infection?

A

EHV1 (dsDNA)

  • worldwide 80-100% of horses are infected and become carriers within their trigeminal ganglia
  • OUTBREAKS
23
Q

What are the 5 risk factors that increase the likelihood of developing neurologic herpesvirus infections?

A
  1. shedding horses kept close to susceptible horses
  2. stress
  3. season
  4. crowding, mingling with shared air space
  5. adult horses of tall breeds have a higher predisposition
24
Q

What are the 2 forms of transmission of EHV1? What is its incubation period?

A
  1. DIRECT - respiratory (commonly before clinical signs), aborted materials
  2. INDIRECT - tack, equipment, people

4-7 days

25
Q

What are the 3 phases to the pathogenesis of EHV1 infection?

A
  1. attachment and invasion of the respiratory epithelium, local LNs, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells
  2. PBMC association and viremia
  3. infection of endothelial cells, vasculitis, hemorrhage, thrombosis, and ischemia
26
Q

What is the most consistent clinical sign associated with EHV1 infection?

A

biphasic fever

27
Q

What acute signs are commonly associated with neurologic EHV1?

A

ascending ataxia and paresis

  • posterior/anterior ataxia
  • recumbency
28
Q

What cauda equina signs are associated with neurologic EHV1?

A
  • urinary and fecal incontinence
  • loss of anal tone
  • loss of sensation to perineum
29
Q

What are 2 rarer presentations of neurologic EHV1? How do patients typically progress?

A
  1. facial nerve paralysis - drooping!
  2. depression

typically stabilizs in 24-48 hr

30
Q

What samples are preferred for diagnosing EHV1?

A
  • nasal swab with viral transport medium
  • EDTA blood (within WBCs in buffy coat)

maximizes viral isolation

31
Q

What is the quickest diagnostic for EHV1? What are some additional diagnostics available?

A

PCR - gB-based test or D752/N752 markers (allows for missing new strains)

  • CSF: xanthochromia - high protein and normal cells
  • seroconversion
  • viral isolation
32
Q

What treatment is recommended in horses with EHV1?

A

isolation, quarantine, supportive care - antivirals are expensive!

  • keep standing, sternal with props, reposition recumbent
  • easy access to food and water
  • protect from trauma
  • hydration
  • evacuation of bladder and rectum
  • keep handlers safe - neurologic horses are DANGEROUS
33
Q

What 6 non-specific treatments can be used for horses with EHV1?

A
  1. NSAIDs: Firocoxib, Banamine - every day of fever and continued 3-5 days past
  2. steroids: Dexamethasone SPP
  3. antioxidants: vitamin E, DMSO
  4. antimicrobials for secondary infections: TMS, Ceftiofur
  5. virustatics ($$): valacyclovir, ganciclovir
  6. CRI Detomidine in thrashing horses
34
Q

What is prognosis of EHV1 like?

A

standing = good

recumbent > 24 hrs = reserved

35
Q

What are the 5 steps fo EHV1 outbreak management?

A
  1. quarantine of premise
  2. biosecurity - PPE, barriers
  3. confirm diagnosis with PCR in febrile and EHM horses, complete post-mortem exams, freeze serum
  4. monitor rectal temperatures 2x a day
  5. release premise in 21-28 days
36
Q

How is EHV1 infection prevented? What is not available?

A
  • biosecurity
  • monitoring
  • management

EHV1 vaccines do NOT protect against EHM

37
Q

EHV vs. EHM:

A
38
Q

What are the 5 AAEP core vaccines?

A
  1. West Nile
  2. Rabies
  3. Tetanus
  4. Eastern Equine Encephalomyelitis
  5. Western Equine Encephalomyelitis

(4 are viruses!)