AA amyloid-associated gastroenteropathy in a horse

Systemic amyloidosis involving the digestive tract is described in an 11-year-old Morgan stallion. The disease was characterized clinically by weight loss, ptyalism, anaemia, persistent mature neutrophilia, hypoalbuminaemia and hypergammaglobulinaemia. The D-xylose absorption test indicated malabsorption. Necropsy revealed oral, oesophageal and gastric ulcers and reddened segments of small bowel mucosa with scant haemorrhages. Microscopically, amyloid deposits were found throughout all tissue layers of the digestive tract, except the serosa. Deposits of amyloid were most apparent in the small bowel mucosa and submucosal arteries. Amyloid was also present in the spleen and lymph nodes and to a lesser extent in the liver, kidneys, lungs, pancreas and bone marrow. All amyloid deposits gave the typical histochemical reaction for AA amyloid with the KMnO4-Congo red stain procedure and immunohistochemical cross-reactivity was demonstrated with antisera to both canine and bovine protein AA by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique. The cause of the amyloidosis was not identified, although the haematological and serological data were compatible with an underlying chronic inflammatory process.