Comparative study of non-suppurative meningoencephalitis in cattle in Southern Brazil

• Published in: Veterinary research communications 2024-12, Vol.48 (6), p.4079-4088
• Main Authors: Barbosa, Francisca Maria Sousa, dos Santos, Igor Ribeiro, de Almeida, Bruno Albuquerque, Molossi, Franciéli Adriane, de Almeida, Paula Rodrigues, Lamego, Eryca Ceolin, Barth, Júlia Camargo, Simões, Sara Vilar Dantas, Panziera, Welden, Sonne, Luciana, Pavarini, Saulo Petinatti, Driemeier, David
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Astrocytes; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Brief Report; Cattle; Cattle Diseases - epidemiology; Cattle Diseases - pathology; Cattle Diseases - virology; Cell number; Central nervous system; Epidemiology; Female; Gliosis; Hemorrhage; Immunohistochemistry; Immunohistochemistry - veterinary; Leukocytes (eosinophilic); Life Sciences; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes B; Lymphocytes T; Macrophages; Male; Meningoencephalitis; Meningoencephalitis - pathology; Meningoencephalitis - veterinary; Meningoencephalitis - virology; Microglia; Neurological diseases; Neuropil; Plasma cells; Rabies; Rabies - epidemiology; Rabies - pathology; Rabies - veterinary; Rabies - virology; Statistical analysis; Veterinary Medicine/Veterinary Science; Viral diseases; Zoology
• ISSN: 0165-7380; 1573-7446; 1573-7446
• DOI: 10.1007/s11259-024-10524-8

Viral neurologic diseases are common in cattle, although most non-suppurative meningoencephalitis (NSM) remains etiologically unknown. We compared the epidemiological, clinical, and pathological data among 79 cases of rabies, 12 cases of NSM of unknown etiology (NSM-UE), and 8 cases of herpetic meningoencephalitis previously diagnosed in cattle in Southern Brazil. Neurological clinical signs were similar among rabies and NSM-UE and different in cattle with herpetic meningoencephalitis. Only two herpetic meningoencephalitis cases had gross lesions in the central nervous system, characterized by malacia and hemorrhage. Histologically, all three groups had mild to severe multifocal infiltrates of lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages/microglial cells in the Virchow-Robin space, neuropil, and leptomeninges, and gliosis. Other findings included malacia and eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion in rabies, and malacia and intranuclear amphophilic inclusion in herpetic meningoencephalitis. By immunohistochemistry, the predominant inflammatory cells in all cases were T lymphocytes, followed by macrophages/microglial cells, B lymphocytes, and astrocytes. The T lymphocyte count showed statistically significant differences between the diseases. Our results revealed few differences between the groups. Although the etiological agent involved has not been identified in cases of NSM-UE, the characteristics observed in this study showed similarity with viral diseases.