title: Myelitis due to reactivated spinal toxoplasmosis in a cat.
abstract: The diagnosis, management, and subsequent post-mortem confirmation of a case of suspected reactivated spinal toxoplasmosis in a 10-year-old female neutered Cornish Rex are described. While an ante-mortem diagnosis of toxoplasmosis was considered possible based on the neuroanatomical diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) disease primarily involving spinal cord segment C6-T2 and the progressive elimination of other potential causes, Toxoplasma gondii antibody titres were consistent with previous exposure rather than active infection. A poor response to appropriate therapy did not support a diagnosis of toxoplasmosis. A post-mortem morphological diagnosis of marked segmental non-suppurative myelitis and necrosis, and an aetiological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis were made. The clinical and pathological findings are supportive of CNS inflammation due to reactivation of latent tissue T gondii cysts.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. scott.lindsay@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lindsay
authors.forename: Vanessa R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Barrs
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Child
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Beatty
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Krockenberger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D009187:Myelitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology