title: [The clinical diagnosis of protozoal myositis syndrome (Neospora caninum) of puppies].
abstract: Nine puppies suffered from progressive paresis with muscle wasting, hyporeflexia and extensor rigidity. CK-activity in serum was elevated and electrodiagnostic findings were indicative of lower motor neuron disease. Although lesions were also found in the CNS, additional neurological signs were rare, but CSF examination revealed the presence of inflammatory lesions. On pathologic examination, all animals had a disseminated necrotizing myositis. In addition, a disseminated encephalomyelitis was found as well as, in 2 cases, a neuritis. In the lesions of 6 animals protozoal organisms were found which were immunocytochemically identified as Neospora caninum. Our results show that the protozoal myositis-encephalitis syndrome in puppies can be diagnosed in the clinic with high probability. A clinical differentiation between toxoplasmosis and Neospora caninum infection is presently difficult.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Tierneurologie, Universität Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cachin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vandevelde
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tipold
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dubey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D009220:Myositis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009336:Necrosis; D009443:Neuritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011529:Protozoan Infections, Animal; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology
vernacular_title: Zur klinischen Diagnostik des protozoären Myositissyndroms (Neospora caninum) des Welpen.