Proposed histological progression of the Spirocerca lupi-induced oesophageal lesion in dogs.
This study aims to outline the histological progression of the Spirocerca lupi nodule from infection to neoplastic transformation. Sixty-two spirocercosis-induced nodules, 42 non-neoplastic and 20 neoplastic, were stained with HE. Ten non-overlapping high power fields per nodule were examined and non-neoplastic and neoplastic nodules were compared. Inflammation was scored 0-3 and revealed a score of 1.91+/-0.52 in the non-neoplastic and 0.97+/-0.5 in the neoplastic cases (p<0.01). In most non-neoplastic cases the inflammatory infiltrate was lymphoplasmacytic and in the neoplastic cases neutrophils predominated. Necrosis was scored 0-3 and revealed a score of 0.88+/-0.41 in the non-neoplastic and 1.47+/-0.5 in the neoplastic cases (p<0.01). The average number of mitoses over 10 high power fields per nodule was 1.31+/-1.55 in the non-neoplastic compared to 42.85+/-30.79 in the neoplastic cases (p<0.01). The average number of multinucleated giant cells over 10 high power fields per nodule was 0.9+/-1.45 in the non-neoplastic compared to 13.9+/-14.66 in the neoplastic cases (p<0.01). In the non-neoplastic cases, collagen, immature fibroblasts and fibroblast activation (excessively plump euchromatic nuclei with single or multiple prominent nucleoli) were scored 0-3 and a combined score, fibroblasts+activation score-collagen was calculated. The non-neoplastic cases were divided into a combined score of <or=1 (n=15) or >1 (n=27). The 2 groups had similar scores for inflammation and necrosis, but were significantly different (p<0.01) in mitotic index (0.26+/-0.46 vs. 1.89+/-1.65) and number of multinucleated cells (0 vs. 1.4+/-1.6). These results indicate 2 stages in the non-neoplastic nodules: early inflammation, characterized by fibrocytes and abundant collagen, and a pre-neoplastic stage, characterized by activated fibroblasts and reduced collagen.
Dvir
E
E
Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa. eran.dvir@up.ac.za
Clift
S J
SJ
Williams
M C
MC
D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004935:Esophageal Diseases / Q000662:veterinary*; D004947:Esophagus / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D017205:Spirurida Infections / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013802:Thelazioidea