Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2020 Aug 30;10(9):1532.
doi: 10.3390/ani10091532.

Multiple Cephalic Malformations in a Calf

Di Muro G  1 , Cagnotti G  1 , Bellino C  1 , Capucchio M T  1 , Colombino E  1 , D'Angelo A  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Multiple Cephalic Malformations in a Calf

Di Muro G et al. Animals (Basel). .

Abstract

Congenital malformations of the central nervous system (CNS) can affect the CNS alone or the CNS and craniofacial structures. Here, we report an unusual and complex congenital cephalic malformation observed in a 3-day-old male crossbreed calf. Clinical examination disclosed a dome-shaped cranial vault, a flat face with a short snout, a median cleft lip, and increased intraorbital distance. The frontal region of the head was remarkable for a fluctuant, sac-like protrusion covered with haired skin. Neurologic findings suggested a multifocal intracranial lesion affecting the prosencephalon and the central vestibular system. While pathological and histopathological findings posited for a presumptive diagnosis of either hydranencephaly or holoprosencephaly associated with multiple congenital facial abnormalities, not all the findings could be definitely attributed to either of the two encephalic malformations alone. To our knowledge, a similar combination of severe congenital abnormalities affecting both the CNS and the craniofacial structures has not been reported in calves to date.

Keywords: bovine; holoprosencephaly; hydranencephaly; malformation; median cleft face syndrome.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Profile view of calf’s head. The red circle indicates the fluctuant, sac-like protrusion covered with haired skin (suspected meningocele).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Histopathology. (a) Brain. Cerebral parenchyma reduced to a thin layer of white and grey matter covered by meninges (black line) and surrounding a voluminous dilated ventricle (*). The inset shows the maintained histological organization. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), 20× (b) Brain. Cerebral parenchyma with multifocal hemorrhages, especially in the periventricular area (*), and multifocal small clusters of stem cells (black arrow) in subventricular zone. H&E, 100× (c) Brain. Cerebral parenchyma with multifocal clusters of undifferentiated cells into the gray matter (black arrows). H&E, 100× (d) Brain. Diencephalon with multifocal small rudimental ventricles (black arrows). H&E, 200×.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. De Lahunta A., Noden D.M. Embryology of Domestic Animals: Developmental Mechanisms and Malformations. 1st ed. Volume 5–6. Williams & Wilkins; Baltimore, MD, USA: 1985.
    1. Hyttel P., Sinowatz F., Vejlsted M. Essentials of Domestic Animal Embryology. 1st ed. Volume 19. Saunders/Elsevier; Edinburgh, UK: 2010. pp. 338–344, 354–357.
    1. Leipold H.W., Hiraga T., Dennis S.M. Congenital Defects of the Bovine Central Nervous System. Vet. Clin. N. Am. Food Anim. Pract. 1993;9:77–91. - PubMed
    1. De Lahunta A., Glass E., Kent M. Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology. 4th ed. Volume 3. Elsevier/Saunders; St. Louis, MO, USA: 2015. pp. 45–49, 64–68.
    1. Summers B.A., Cummings J.F., de Lahunta A. Veterinary Neuropathology. 1st ed. Volume 2. Mosby; St. Louis, MO, USA: 1995. pp. 71–73.

Publication types