Lecture 3: Neuropathology- Inflammatory and Infectious Flashcards
What is myelitis
Inflammation of spinal cord
What is meningoencephalomyelitis
Inflammation of meninges, cerebrum and spinal cord
What is polioencephalitis
Inflammation affecting the gray matter
What is leukoencephalitis
Inflammation affecting the white matter
What is ganglionitis
Inflammation of ganglia
What would cause suppurative inflammation
Bacteria
What would cause non-suppurative, mixture of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophage inflammation
Virus or immune mediated
Dog euthanized for extreme mentation changes, hypersalivation and neurological symptoms. Suspected rabies histo of brain showed the following. What does histo show
Intracytoplasmic inclusions- negri bodies
What could cause granulomtous or pyogranulomatous inflammation
- Certain bacteria- mycobacterium
- Fungal organisms
- Certain virus- FIP
What would cause eosinophilic inflammation
Parasites
What is the most common route of neurological infection
Hematogenous
How do infections travel up nerves to CNS and what are some examples
Travel retrograde up peripheral nerves to brain
1. Herpesviruses
2. Lyssavirus (rabies)
3. L. Monocytogenes
What are the 3 “gatekeepers” to CNS infection
- Subarchanoid barrier
- Blood brain barrier
- CSF barriers
What forms the subarachnoid barrier
Skull and meninges
What forms the blood brain barrier
Intercellular junctions between endothelial cells of blood vessels and astrocytes
What forms CSF barrier
Epithelial cells of choroid plexus and endothelial cells of vessels
How does the olfactory portal serve as passageway to brain
Olfactory system bypasses physical and cellular barriers through the cribiform plate where olfactory nerves travel to olfactory bulb in brain
L. Monocytogenes causes a bacterial infection of CNS in who
Ruminants, typically small ruminants
What is the pathogens is of L. Monocytogenes
- Previous oral trauma
- Ingestion of food/silage that is contaminated with L. Monocytogenes
- Bacteria gain access to peripheral nerves via wound in oral cavity and extend to brainstem/cerebellum
- Causing a neuritis/ suppurative meningoencephalitis
Where are the lesions located in brain for L. Monocytogenes
Brainstem
What is likely cause of this lesion and histo. What does histo show
L. Monocytogenes
Histo shows small clusters of neutrophils (microabscesses) that disrupt neuroparenchyma
How do ruminants present with L. Monocytogenes
Fever, depression, ataxia, head pressing
Aka circling disease
What cranial nerves are affected with L. Monocytogenes and what symptoms are seen
CN V, VII, and VII
Symptoms: unilateral facial paresis/ paralysis, head tilt, ear droop, loss of sensation, depression, recumbency
What causes thromboembolic meningoencephalitis
Histophilus somni
What are the gross lesions associated with thromboembolic meningoencephalitis caused by H. Somni
Multifocal random, embolic hemorrhagic infarcts in brain +/- spinal cord
What could have caused this in cattle
H. Somni
What are the histological findings with H. Somni TEME
Necrotizing vascular is and thrombosis
Vessels in meninges contain septic fibrin thrombi
What do you see and what could have caused this
Vessel with septic fibrin thrombi, vascular necrosis and vascular is
Cause: H. Somni leading to TEME
How do viruses injury the brain
- Direct ability to kill CNS cells (cytotoxicity)
- Induce immune response and inflammation
What are some common histological features of viral encephalitides
- Inflammation- lymphocytes, plasma cells, macrophages
- Viral inclusions
- Neuronal necrosis- dead, red neurons
- Increase number of glial cells
What would cause these histological features: bacteria, virus, or fungi
virus
What wrong here and what would cause this, bacteria, virus or fungi
Neuronal necrosis- dead, red neurons
Cause: viral
What domestic species are most commonly affected by rabies
Cats, cattle and dogs