SPOTS - Neuropathology and infectious disease of the CNS

Question 1

What is cerebellar hypoplasia?

Answer 1

cerebellum is greatly reduced in size and almost non-existent.
congenital malformation

Question 2

What virus is likely to cause cerebellar hypoplasia in calves and how?

Answer 2

BVDV infection in utero before 180days of pregnancy
(after foetus can mount an immune response)

Question 3

What virus is likely to cause cerebellar hypoplasia in lambs?

Answer 3

bluetongue, border disease virus or cache vallus virus

Question 4

What virus causes cerebellar hypoplasia in kittens and what are the CS?

Answer 4

feline parvovirus aka feline panleukopenia virus
virus targets rapidly dividing cells and causes v+, d+, reduced WBCs in adult cats

Question 5

What is a common cause for superficial cortical grey matter laminar necrosis?

Answer 5

thiamine (B1) deficiency either from thiaminases in brachen ferns that break down thiamine in feed or produced by ruminal microbes/chronic ruminal acidosis

same lesion can also occur with excess sulphur in diet or cobalt deficiency.

Question 6

What is the appearance of superficial cortical grey matter laminar necrosis and how can we diagnose it?

Answer 6

slightly depressed foci within the cerebral cortex from tissue loss causing wider sulki, yellow to brown

autofluorescence under UV/woods lamp

Question 7

Which pathogen causes FIP?

Answer 7

feline coronavirus (FCoV), a more specifically mutated one as it generally only causes mild enteritis or sub-clinical infections

Question 8

What is the pathogenesis of the CNS form of FIP?

Answer 8

virus causes an immune mediated disease leading to
immune complexes (virus antibody complexes) which are trapped in small blood vessels leading to vasculitis and the effusive or wet form of FIP
continuous cell mediated immune response against infected macrophages causing granuloma formation in infected organs, dry form

Question 9

What type of pathogen causes congestion of cerebellum and pus in the meninges of piglets?

Answer 9

bacterial! often strep. suis in pigs
suppurative meningitis
zoonotic!
can also cause polyserositis

Question 10

What part of the brain is mainly affected in a cow with facial paralysis and a protruding 3rd eyelid?

Answer 10

brainstem (medulla)

Question 11

What pathogen is likely to cause an abscess on the brainstem in cows?

Answer 11

listeria monocytogenes
a small gram pos rod

Question 12

How is listeria monocytogenes infection in cows acquired?

Answer 12

ingestion of poorly fermented silage contaminated with listeria
bacteria enter through abrasions in the buccal/nasal mucosa
enter nerve fibers (5th, 7th CN) goes to brainstem (where nuclei of the CN are)

Question 13

What is the cell of origin for extra-axial mass compressing the parenchyma but not invading in dogs?

Answer 13

meningioma - meningothelial cells

Question 14

What is the cell of origin for intra-axial/intra-parenchymal soft haemorrhagic mass in dogs?

Answer 14

astrocytoma - astrocytes (glial cells)