Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
07:36
A Ferret Model of Inflammation-sensitized Late Preterm Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury
Published on: November 19, 2019
Internal hydrocephalus and associated periventricular encephalitis in a young fox
M T Mandara1, S Pavone, G Vitellozzi
1Department of Biopathological Science and Hygiene of Food and Animal Productions, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Via San Costanzo n.4, 06126 Perugia, Italy. mandara@unipg.it
Veterinary Pathology
|September 12, 2007
Summary
A fox experienced severe neurological symptoms and death due to brain inflammation and ventricular enlargement. Bacterial infection is suspected as the cause of these lesions and secondary hydrocephalus.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Comparative Pathology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Acquired hydrocephalus in canids is poorly understood.
- Investigating the etiology of neurological disease in young wild animals is crucial for understanding disease transmission and impact.
Observation:
- A 2-month-old fox presented with disorientation, ataxia, circling, and blindness.
- Necropsy revealed significant lateral ventricular enlargement, cerebral cortical atrophy, and periventricular encephalitis.
Findings:
- Severe inflammatory and necrotizing lesions were found in periventricular and cortical areas.
- Infectious agents including Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, E. cuniculi, canine distemper virus, and rabies virus were ruled out via immunolabeling.
- Neutrophilic and mononuclear cell infiltration suggested a bacterial etiology for the encephalitis, leading to secondary internal hydrocephalus.
Implications:
- This case highlights a potential bacterial cause for acquired hydrocephalus in young canids.
- Further investigation into bacterial infections is warranted to understand this condition in both wild and domestic canids.
- Understanding the pathogenesis can inform diagnostic and treatment strategies for similar neurological conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
01:19Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
01:25Arboviral Encephalitis
Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
01:28Rabies
Rabies is a lethal zoonotic disease caused by a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA virus of the Lyssavirus genus, within the family Rhabdoviridae. Its primary mode of transmission to humans is through bites or saliva-contaminated scratches from infected mammals such as dogs, bats, raccoons, or foxes. Transmission can also occur if infectious saliva contacts abraded skin or intact mucous membranes, including the conjunctiva.Viral Entry and Early ReplicationOnce introduced at the bite or scratch...