Aberrant migration of Spirocerca

lupi to the spinal cord - pathological

aspects

30 -

2006 28

Prof. Samuel Perl, Head, Division of Pathology

Kimron Veterinary Institute (KVI)
Bet Dagan Israel
 Spirocercosis
Etiology: Spirocerca lupi
Esophageal worm

Adults are bright red worms 4 -7 cm long

coiled in nodules of esophageal and gastric walls

Spirocercosis seen mostly in tropical regions

worldwide and in the southern areas of the US
Adult Spirocerca lupi
 Spirocerca lupi
Life cycle
Embryonated eggs passed in the feces ingested by
coprophagous beetles and develop in these
intermediate hosts to infective stage III larvae

If paratenic hosts eats the beetles larva will encyst in

some organs

Infected beetles or paratenic hosts are eaten by a

final host
 Spirocerca lupi - hosts
Final hosts:

Intermediate hosts:
coprophagous beetles

Paratenic hosts:
 Spirocerca lupi
Life cycle (in the final host)
Larvae penetrate the stomach wall--> gastric
arteries--> aorta (adventitia and media)
Parasites reach the aorta in a short time after
ingestion, develop there for ~ 90 days-->
esophageal wall - nodules
Nodules have small opening--> eggs in lumen
 Aorta

Esophagus

Stomach
 Spirocercosis
Clinical manifestation
No clinical signs in mild infections
Dysphagia and vomiting in large lesions
Spondylitis associated with spirocerca
Esophagial tumor associated with spirocerca
Sudden death due to aneurismal rupture
 Spirocercosis
Lesions
Esophagus
Granulomas with worms
Tumors occasionally - sarcomas
Aorta
Aneurisms
Ruptured aneurisms - hemothorax
Spine
Spondylitis / spondylosis
 Current case
A one year old spayed female dog with sudden
onset of hind leg paresis
On X-ray, spondylosis in the thoracic region
In CSF, evidence of pyogranulomatous reaction
Endoscopy, granulomas of spirocerca in the
esophagus
Migration of spirocerca to the spinal cord was
suspected
The dog was euthanized
T8 -T10
 Verminous myelitis - caused by
parasite migration
Parelaphostrongylus tenuis (sheep, goats, llamas)
Hypoderma bovis (cattle)
Strongylus vulgaris, Halicephalobus deletrix and
Setaria spp. (horses)
Stephanurus dentatus (pigs)
Cuterebra spp. (cats)
Bayliascaris procyonis (dogs)
 Parasite migration to the spinal cord-
publications:
Strongylus vulgaris myelitis in a donkey
Spinal nematodiasis in a stallion
Angiostrongylus cantonensis myelitis, experimental
infection in mice
Angiostrongylus cantonesis in cynomolgus monkeys
two cases of natural infection
Spinal dracunculiasis in an experimentally infected
ferret
Elaphstrongylus cervi caused encephalomyelitis
by experimental infection in sheep and goats
Parasite migration to the spinal cord-
publications
Spinal nematodiasis of the dog associated with
Ancilostoma caninum
Australian veterinary Journal, 1987
Granulomatous encephalowyelitis in puppies due to
Angiostrongylus cantonensis
Australian veterinary journal, 1976
Spirocerca lupi localization in the spinal cord of a dog
Zimbabwe Veterinary journal, 1987
Spirocerca lupi induced myomalecia in dog
Brazil.J.vet.Res.anim.Sci., 1995
 Conclusions
Spirocerca lupi is an important cause of sudden death
due to rupture of an aortic aneurism in dogs.

Esophageal sarcomas induced by Spirocerca lupi are not

unusual and are under intensive investigation.

Aberrant migration of Spirocerca lupi was diagnosed in

two occasions: a subcutaneous and testicular
granulloma at the Pathology department at the KVI
 Conclusions (cont.)
This is the first communication of aberrant
migration of Spirocerca lupi to the spinal cord
in Israel and has to be included in the differential
diagnosis when a myelitis is diagnosed in dogs.

The cause and route of migration to the spinal

cord is obscure.

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