title: Lymphocyte phenotype subsets in the cerebrospinal fluid of normal horses and horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
abstract: The percentages of T-lymphocytes, lymphocyte subsets CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, and lymphocyte adhesion molecule CD11a/CD18 were determined in the peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of seven normal horses and four horses with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) using flow cytometry. There was a greater percentage of CD5+ cells in the CSF (79.0%) than in peripheral blood (67.0%), although this did not achieve statistical significance. Furthermore, the lymphocyte population in CSF comprises a significantly greater (P = .01) percentage of CD8+ T-cells, resulting in a decrease of the CD4/CD8 ratio. Lymphocyte phenotype subsets in peripheral blood or CSF from horses affected with EPM did not differ from normal horses, although CD5+ T-lymphocytes were seen in significantly greater numbers in the CSF of EPM-affected horses (93.2%) than in normal horses (79.0%).
authors.affiliation: Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, PO Box 1938, Leesburg, VA 20176, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pontzer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gasper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020808:Central Nervous System Protozoal Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D004679:Encephalomyelitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006736:Horses; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012523:Sarcocystosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*