title: Isolation and molecular characterisation of Halicephalobus gingivalis in the brain of a horse in Piedmont, Italy.
abstract: A fatal case of meningoencephalitis was reported in a 13-year-old Koninklijk Warmbloed Paard Nederland stallion, suspected of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, in the Piedmont region of Italy. Clinical signs included right head tilt and circling, depression alternated with excitability, fever and lateral strabismus. Combined treatment consisting of dimethylsulfoxide, dexamethasone, sulphonamides and sedative was administered, but because of the poor conditions the horse was euthanatized and submitted for necropsy.
  
  
  
  At post-mortem examination no skin lesions were observed, all organs appeared normal on gross evaluation and only head and blood samples were further investigated. Neuropathological findings consisted of granulomatous meningoencephalitis and larvae and adult females of Halicephalobus gingivalis were isolated and identified from the digested brain. Frozen brain was submitted to PCR amplification and 220 bp multiple sequence alignment was analysed by Bayesian phylogenetic analysis.
  
  
  
  Phylogenetic inference revealed that the isolate belongs to H. gingivalis Lineage 3. WN surveillance can help to deepen our knowledge of horse neurological disorders investigating their causes and incidence. Moreover, it can help to understand the geographic distribution of the H. gingivalis, to unravel epidemiological information, and to estimate risk for humans.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Domenica
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pintore
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerutti
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Corona
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gazzuola
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masoero
authors.affiliation: Practioner from Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Practioner from Turin, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bona
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cantile
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peletto
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Casalone
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Piemonte Liguria and Valle d'Aosta, Turin, Italy. barbara.iulini@izsto.it.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-6037-5184
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Iulini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D006736:Horses; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D017168:Rhabditida / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017196:Rhabditida Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Brain; Halicephalobus gingivalis; Horse; Meningoencephalitis; Phylogenetics; Zoonosis