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Survival of an adult Q uarter H orse gelding following bacterial meningitis caused by E scherichia coli
Author(s) -
Hepworth K. L.,
Wong D. M.,
Sponseller B. A.,
Alcott C. J.,
Sponseller B. T.,
BenShlomo G.,
Whitley R. D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
equine veterinary education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 2042-3292
pISSN - 0957-7734
DOI - 10.1111/eve.12011
Subject(s) - medicine , meningitis , abscess , trojan horse , bacterial meningitis , neonatal meningitis , paranasal sinuses , horse , surgery , biology , escherichia coli , paleontology , computer science , operating system , biochemistry , gene
Summary Bacterial meningitis in the mature horse is a rare and typically fatal condition. This report describes a 7‐year‐old Q uarter H orse gelding that initially presented following suspected trauma to the left eye but subsequently developed bacterial meningitis, and a nasal and palpebral abscess, all of which cultured the same isolate of E scherichia coli . The entry site of infection in bacterial meningitis is often related to a breach in the calvarium and extension of bacteria residing in the paranasal sinuses. This case is unique as there were multiple pathways through which bacteria may have entered the central nervous system including haematogenous spread from a nasal abscess, local extension of periocular infection or an undetected skull fracture. Aside from persistent blindness in the left eye, the horse made a full recovery.