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Case Reports
. 2013 Sep;54(9):853-8.

Lawsonia intracellularis-associated ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis in 5 weanling foals

Luis G Arroyo  1 , Federica Ter Woort, John D Baird, Laetitia Tatiersky, Josepha Delay, Tony van Dreumel
Affiliations
Case Reports

Lawsonia intracellularis-associated ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis in 5 weanling foals

Luis G Arroyo et al. Can Vet J. 2013 Sep.

Abstract
in English, French

This report describes 5 cases of fatal Lawsonia intracellularis-associated ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis in weanling Thoroughbred and Standardbred foals. The lesions are similar to those of the L. intracellularis-associated ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis syndrome in pigs. Two foals had concurrent severe typhlo-colitis as a result of a large burden of encysted cyathostomes. The clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenges, and the potential complications encountered during the management of such cases are discussed.

Entérite ulcérative et nécro-hémorragique associée àLawsonia intracellularischez 5 poulains sevrés. Ce rapport décrit 5 cas mortels d’entérite ulcérative et nécro-hémorragique associée à Lawsonia intracellularis chez des poulains Thoroughbred et Standardbred. Les lésions sont semblables à celles du syndrome de l’entérite ulcérative et nécro-hémorragique associée à L. intracellularis chez les porcs. Deux poulains étaient atteints d’une typhlo-colite grave concomitante en raison d’une charge importante de cyathostomes enkystés. Les difficultés cliniques, diagnostiques et thérapeutiques ainsi que les complications potentielles rencontrées durant la gestion de ces cas sont analysées.(Traduit par Isabelle Vallières).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Ultrasonographic image of an 8-month-old Thoroughbred filly (case 5), showing small intestinal loops with severely thickened walls (white bar = 9 mm; normal < 3 mm).
Figure 2
Figure 2
A — Ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis. Terminal ileum of an 8-month-old Thoroughbred filly (case 5). Irregularly thickened (between arrows), ulcerated (arrowheads), and hyperemic mucosa covered by a thin layer of necrotic debris. B — Ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis. Ileum, 8-month-old Thoroughbred colt (case 3). Necrosis and hemorrhage of the lumenal 50% of mucosa, with crypt epithelial hyperplasia and dysplasia in residual deep mucosa. Hematoxylin and eosin stain. Bar = 100 μm. C — Ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis. Ileum, 8-month-old Thoroughbred colt (case 3). Numerous short argentophyllic bacilli are present in apical cytoplasm of epithelial cells lining mucosal crypts (arrows). Warthin-Starry stain. Bar = 10 μm. D — Ulcerative and necro-hemorrhagic enteritis. Ileum, 8-month-old Thoroughbred colt (case 3). Abundant staining for Lawsonia intracellularis antigen in enterocytes (arrow) and in lamina proprial macrophages (arrowhead). DAB chromogen. Bar = 100 μm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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