Hydranencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia in two kittens attributed to intrauterine parvovirus infection

Abstract

Six weeks after vaccination with modified live feline parvovirus vaccine, a cat gave birth to five kittens, three of which died soon afterwards. The remaining two kittens (A and B) survived, but at 8 weeks of age were unable to walk and showed abnormal behaviour, with lack of menace and oculovestibular responses, and severe dysmetria. These signs suggested multifocal disease associated with the cerebrum and cerebellum. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated severe bilateral (kitten A) or unilateral (kitten B) hydrocephalus or hydranencephaly, combined with cerebellar agenesis (kitten A) or severe hypoplasia (kitten B). Hydranencephaly was confirmed histopathologically in both kittens. Parvovirus was isolated from the kidney of one kitten. Parvoviral DNA was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from paraffin wax-embedded brain of both kittens. The severe malformations observed in these kittens presumably resulted from an in-utero parvovirus infection, possibly due to vaccination, that occurred late in the first, or early in the second, trimester of pregnancy.