Case report of concurrent occurrence of coenurosis and listerial encephalitis in a sheep

Abstract

Coenurosis and Listerial encephalitis are two diseases of the central nervous system in sheep. In September 2018, an 18-month-old male sheep was referred to the Tehran University Veterinary Hospital with complaints of dullness, depression and anorexia. In observation and clinical examination within 1 hour, signs of dullness, depression, body temperature of 39°C , unilateral left sided blindness, clonic seizure, head deviation to the left, stiffness of the limbs, circling in a circular path and head tilt were recorded. After clinical examination, the patient underwent hematological laboratory tests and cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and autopsy under sterile conditions. Neutrophilic-eosinophilic pleocytosis was present in the cytological examination of cerebrospinal fluid and in autopsy, a protoscolex containing cyst was observed in the affected brain. The scolexes were examined by PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), which confirmed the presence of Coenuosis cerebralis. The brain sample was then subjected to bacterial culture (with cold enrichment) and histopathological examination. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria was identified during biochemical and PCR investigations. In histopathological study of brain tissue, meningoencephalitis and mononuclear cell infiltration around the cyst were observed. After bacterial isolation, the antibiotic susceptibility of isolates was determined with the highest susceptibility recorded to penicillin. In the survey of relevant herd status, the consumption of low quality silage with an acidity of 5.8 and the presence of 15 stray dogs in the pasture were recorded.

Keywords

• coenurus cerebralis
• listeria monocytogenes
• sheep
• taenia multiceps