First report of an outbreak of cerebral coenurosis in Dhofari goats in Oman.

This study documented the first outbreak of cerebral coenurosis in goats in Salalah, southern Oman. Deaths of 130 (16.6%) adult native goats in a herd (n=780) were reported from January to June 2017. Affected goats showed various nervous signs ended by death. Investigations for thiamine deficiency, polioencephalomalacia, caprine arthritis encephalitis, and listeriosis were negative. Upon necropsy, multiple (1-4) thin-walled cysts 2-3.5 cm in diameter containing clear fluid with numerous clusters of protoscolices in the cerebrum and cerebellum had replaced the brain parenchyma, causing space-occupying lesions. Parasitologically, the recovered cysts were Coenurus cerebralis, based on the arrangement of protoscolices, and the number and size of their hooks. Morphologically, each protoscolex had four suckers and a rostellum with double-crown hooks. The large and small hooks were 157.7±0.5 µm and 115±0.6 µm in length, respectively. Histopathologically, the parasite destroyed the affected tissues associated with multifocal to diffuse lymphocytic, non-suppurative meningoencephalitis; ischemic neuronal necrosis; and malacia. This is the first report of cerebral coenurosis in livestock in Oman, which should alert the local public health authorities for the application of prevention and control measures.

First report of an outbreak of cerebral coenurosis in Dhofari goats in Oman / Primeiro relato de um surto de coenurose cerebral em cabras Dhofari em Omã

Abstract This study documented the first outbreak of cerebral coenurosis in goats in Salalah, southern Oman. Deaths of 130 (16.6%) adult native goats in a herd (n=780) were reported from January to June 2017. Affected goats showed various nervous signs ended by death. Investigations for thiamine deficiency, polioencephalomalacia, caprine arthritis encephalitis, and listeriosis were negative. Upon necropsy, multiple (1-4) thin-walled cysts 2-3.5 cm in diameter containing clear fluid with numerous clusters of protoscolices in the cerebrum and cerebellum had replaced the brain parenchyma, causing space-occupying lesions. Parasitologically, the recovered cysts were Coenurus cerebralis, based on the arrangement of protoscolices, and the number and size of their hooks. Morphologically, each protoscolex had four suckers and a rostellum with double-crown hooks. The large and small hooks were 157.7±0.5 µm and 115±0.6 µm in length, respectively. Histopathologically, the parasite destroyed the affected tissues associated with multifocal to diffuse lymphocytic, non-suppurative meningoencephalitis; ischemic neuronal necrosis; and malacia. This is the first report of cerebral coenurosis in livestock in Oman, which should alert the local public health authorities for the application of prevention and control measures.

Resumo Este estudo documentou o primeiro surto de coenurose cerebral em cabras em Salalah, Oman. A morte de 130 (16,6%) caprinos adultos nativos (n=780) foi relatada de janeiro a junho de 2017. As cabras afetadas mostraram distúrbios neurológicos, que culminaram em óbito. Investigações para deficiência de tiamina, polioencefalomalácia, encefalite por artrite caprina e listeriose foram negativas. Na necropsia, múltiplos (1-4) cistos de paredes finas com 2-3,5 cm de diâmetro contendo líquido claro com numerosos aglomerados de protoescólices no cérebro e no cerebelo haviam substituído o parênquima cerebral, causando compressão nas estruturas adjacentes. Os cistos recuperados foram identificados como sendo de Coenurus cerebralis, com base no arranjo dos protoescólices, e no número e tamanho de seus ganchos. Morfologicamente, cada protoescólice tinha quatro ventosas e um rostelo com dupla coroa de ganchos. Os ganchos grandes e pequenos tinham 157,7±0,5 µm e 115±0,6 µm de comprimento, respectivamente. Histopatologicamente, o parasita causou a destruição dos tecidos afetados associada à meningoencefalite linfocítica não-supurativa, que variou de multifocal a difusa, necrose neuronal isquêmica e malacia. Este é o primeiro relato de coenurose em ruminantes no Oman, o que deve servir de alerta para as autoridades locais da área de saúde para a aplicação de medidas de prevenção e controle.

Experimental doxycycline overdose in rats causes cardiomyopathy.

All reports of doxycycline-induced cardiomyopathy to date have been limited to accidental oral poisoning in calves. Therefore, the current study investigated the cardiomyotoxic effect of experimental doxycycline overdose in rats as a toxicity model which could be monitored using histopathological and biochemical assays. A total of 38-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into three groups consisting of 10 each. The first group was an untreated control group (D0 ), and the second group (D5 ) received doxycycline hyclate 25 mg/kg intragastrically twice daily (8 AM and 8 PM), which is 5-fold higher than the standard dose. The third group (D10 ) received 50 mg/kg intragastrically twice daily (8 AM and 8 PM), which is 10-fold higher than the standard dose. The dose continued for 10 consecutive days and revealed that the doxycycline toxicity was dose dependent. Mortality was recorded in the D10 group only (30%). The D5 rats exhibited minimal skeletal muscle injury and slight but significant increases in the skeletal muscle damage indicators creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) compared to controls. The cardiac muscle of the D5 rats was histologically normal, and the D5 rats also exhibited normal levels of troponin I (cTnI), an indicator of cardiac muscle damage. In contrast, the D10 rats displayed cardiomyopathy, as well as significant increases in the muscle enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT), AST and CK and the cardiac damage indicator cTnI compared to control and D5 groups. Pulmonary lesions were observed in the D10 rats, primarily cardiac lesion-related alveolar heart failure cells. Thus the present study is the first to demonstrate that oral doxycycline poisoning (10 times the therapeutic dose)-induced cardiomyopathy is not limited to calves and could occur without any predisposing factors.