title: [Focal meningitis in a California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)--diagnostic procedure and pathology].
abstract: A 15-year-old female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) with progressive lameness of the hindlimbs and a chronic skin lesion was presented for clinical examination. The clinical neurological examination, showing a paraparesis, was completed by magnetic resonance imaging. MR images of the cervical and thoracic spine showed a well-defined muscle infiltrating lesion between the seventh cervical vertebra (C7) and the second thoracic vertebra (T2), which extended through the intervertebral foramina between C7 and T1 into the vertebral canal, causing spinal cord compression and displacement. Pathological examination revealed focal purulent meningitis resulting from widespread fistulas of the chronic skin leasion, which was infected with Escherichia coli var. haemolytica and Clostridium perfringens.
authors.affiliation: Barbara Lang, Zoo Karlsruhe, Ettlinger Straße 6, 76137 Karlsruhe, E-Mail: lang.barbara@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Eskens
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Hegel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003016:Clostridium perfringens / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D005738:Gas Gangrene / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D020335:Paraparesis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D046070:Sea Lions
keywords: Clostridium perfringens; fistula; magnetic resonance imaging; paraparesis; pinnipeds; wound