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Nematode eggs observed in cytology of cerebrospinal fluid diagnostic for intramedullary Spirocerca lupi spinal cord migration
Author(s) -
Klainbart Sigal,
Chai Orit,
Vaturi Rafael,
Rapoport Kira,
Aroch Itamar,
Shamir Merav Hagar
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
veterinary clinical pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1939-165X
pISSN - 0275-6382
DOI - 10.1111/vcp.12560
Subject(s) - medicine , paralysis , tetraparesis , paresis , spinal cord , cerebrospinal fluid , pathology , pleocytosis , myelography , myelopathy , differential diagnosis , etiology , magnetic resonance imaging , surgery , radiology , psychiatry
Spinal spirocercosis due to aberrant Spirocerca lupi nematode migration is an emerging etiology for acute myelitis in dogs in Israel, causing severe, mostly nonsymmetrical hind limb paresis or paralysis, and sometimes tetraparesis or tetraparalysis. So far, incidental identification of parasites during spinal surgery or at necropsy provides the only definite diagnosis, while antemortem diagnosis of this condition has been uncertain. Specifically, antemortem diagnosis is based on the typical clinical presentation of acute, progressive, asymmetrical hind limb paresis or paralysis, with moderate to severe eosinophilic to mixed cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF ) pleocytosis and increased CSF protein concentration. Exclusion of other differential diagnoses also requires using spinal cord imaging. In this novel report, we document a case of an intradural spinal spirocercosis in a dog, diagnosed antemortem, by detecting S lupi eggs in the CSF , and subsequent treatment, resulting in the resolution of the clinical signs.