A captive harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) presented with partial anorexia, ataxia, and head bobbing, which progressed to complete anorexia, lethargy, and persistent whole-body intention tremors within several days. Response to treatment with ponazuril, serology, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis supported a diagnosis of Sarcocystis neurona. Analysis of serum levels for ponazuril indicated that therapeutic levels could be achieved at a dosage of 5 mg/kg p.o. s.i.d., whereas clinical response was improved at a dosage of 10 mg/kg. Several months after initiation of antiprotozoal therapy, the neurologic signs resolved, although rare intermittent tremors were seen with significant exertion.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1638/2007-0141R.1 | DOI Listing |
J Vet Intern Med
December 2024
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, California, USA.
Background: Evaluating antibody titers for Sarcocystis neurona for the diagnosis of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis from serum samples is a common practice. However, ensuring timely and proper refrigeration is not always possible.
Objectives: To evaluate immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) titers for S.
Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports
November 2024
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA.
The protozoan Sarcocystis neurona can cause severe disease in horses, marine mammals, and several other animal species in North America. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is its definitive host, and the raccoon (Procyon lotor) has been considered its primary intermediate host in the USA. Although canids have not previously been identified as important intermediate hosts for this parasite, we here report several natural cases in the gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Parasitol
July 2024
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, Maryland 20705-2350.
Muscles of 25 bobcats (Lynx rufus) from remote areas of Mississippi in 2017 were tested for parasites. Testing for Sarcocystis infections included microscopic examination of fresh unstained muscle squashes, pepsin digestion of hearts and tongues, and histological sections of paraffin-embedded tissues. Sarcocystis spp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Vet Diagn Invest
November 2024
University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, Knoxville, TN, USA.
A geriatric captive bobcat () was euthanized due to progressive anorexia and lethargy. Meningoencephalitis with intralesional apicomplexan organisms was identified histologically. With immunohistochemistry, the organisms were immunolabeled by anti- antibodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVet Parasitol
August 2024
Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California Davis, Tupper Hall 2108, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a challenging disease to diagnose in horses with neurological signs. To optimize contemporary diagnostic testing, including the use of serum:CSF antibody ratios, the SarcoFluor antibody test for Sarcocystis neurona requires revalidation. The SarcoFluor, a previously validated immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for the detection of antibodies specific to S.
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