title: Chronic pleuropulmonary fibrosis and elastosis of aged donkeys: similarities to human pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Donkey pulmonary fibrosis (DPF) is a spontaneous syndrome of aged donkeys with a high prevalence (35%). No previous detailed characterization of DPF has been performed. We sought to determine the similarities between DPF and recognized patterns of human pulmonary fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Whole lungs were collected from 32 aged donkeys at routine necropsy. Gross examination revealed pulmonary fibrosis in 19 donkeys (DPF cases), whereas 13 (control cases) had grossly normal lungs. Eighteen whole inflated ex vivo lungs (11 DPF cases, seven control cases) were imaged with high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan, whereas the remainder were sectioned and photographed. Tissue samples were collected from all lungs for histopathologic evaluation using a standardized protocol. HRCT images and histology sections underwent independent blinded review. Lung tissue was analyzed for herpes virus, fungal hyphae, mycobacteria, and dust content.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten of 19 DPF lungs were categorized as being consistent with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) according to previously defined histologic and imaging criteria. All 10 PPFE-like lungs had marked pleural and subpleural fibrosis, predominantly within the upper lung zone, with accompanying intraalveolar fibrosis and elastosis. Asinine herpesvirus was ubiquitously expressed within control and DPF lung tissue. No other etiologic agents were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many cases of DPF share key pathologic and imaging features with human PPFE, a rare interstitial pneumonia. Consequently, further study of DPF may help to elucidate the etiopathogenesis of human PPFE.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miele
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dhaliwal
authors.affiliation: The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, England.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Du Toit
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Department of Pathology, New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Murchison
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Department of Pathology, New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Catharine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dhaliwal
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Department of Pathology, New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Harriet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, England.
authors.forename: Sionagh H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Nik
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirani
authors.affiliation: The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, England.
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwarz
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Centre for Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute, and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haslett
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Department of Pathology, New Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: The Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon, England. Electronic address: bruce.mcgorum@ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Bruce C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: McGorum
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004548:Elasticity / Q000502:physiology; D018397:Equidae; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006736:Horses; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed