Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Eosinophilic colitis and hepatitis in a horse with colonic intramucosal ciliated protozoa.
- Journal:
- Veterinary pathology
- Year:
- 1996
- Authors:
- French, R A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old American Standardbred gelding (a type of horse) had a history of not eating and mild abdominal pain before he unexpectedly died. Tissue samples were examined, revealing severe inflammation in his colon and liver, along with a large number of certain tiny organisms called ciliated protozoa. These organisms were found in his colon and are believed to be linked to the inflammation in both his colon and liver. The findings suggest that the protozoa may have caused the horse's health issues.
Abstract
Tissues from a 9-year-old American Standardbred gelding with a history of anorexia, mild colic, and unexpected death were submitted to the Laboratories of Veterinary Diagnostic Medicine at the University of Illinois for histopathologic examination. Microscopic diagnoses were severe subacute, diffuse eosinophilic colitis with intralesional protozoa and a subacute to chronic eosinophilic portal hepatitis with granuloma formation. Two tissue-invading, ciliated protozoa were identified in large numbers within the colonic mucosa. The ciliates were Polymorphella ampulla and Cycloposthium sp., Phylum:Ciliophora. The eosinophilic colitis and portal hepatitis in association with the overpopulation and invasion by the ciliated protozoa suggests a causal etiology.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8801719/