Bjerkås I, Nesland J M
Acta Vet Scand. 1987;28(1):15-22. doi: 10.1186/BF03548252.
The central nervous system lesions in encephalitozoonosis were studied in 11 naturally infected blue foxes. Immunohistochemical staining was employed in the demonstration of the parasites and identification of host cells. Consistent findings in acute to subacute stages included granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis and vasculitis, with arterial lesions similar to polyarteritis nodosa. Chronic stages were dominated by arteriosclerosis, perivascular mononuclear infiltrations and gliosis, with less prominent granulomatous reaction. Parasites were almost constantly observed in association with active lesions both in vessels and nervous tissue. Parasitophorous vacuoles (PV) occurred in endothelial cells and in the medial layer of arteries. Neurons, including even their processes, were widely parasitized, a fact that may account for the brain being an important target organ. PV also occurred in ependymal cells of the choroid plexus and occasionally in macrophages. great number of parasites was demonstrated in phagolysosomes of macrophages, a fact that probably reflects a relative resistance to digestion, and may consequently contribute to the development of the prominent granulomatous reaction. It was concluded that the brain lesions, except in chronic stages of mild infections, seem to be pathognomonic for encephalitozoonosis in the blue fox.
对11只自然感染脑胞内原虫病的蓝狐的中枢神经系统病变进行了研究。采用免疫组织化学染色来显示寄生虫并识别宿主细胞。在急性至亚急性阶段的一致发现包括肉芽肿性脑膜脑脊髓炎和血管炎，动脉病变类似于结节性多动脉炎。慢性阶段以动脉硬化、血管周围单核细胞浸润和胶质细胞增生为主，肉芽肿反应不那么明显。在血管和神经组织的活动性病变中几乎总能观察到寄生虫。寄生泡（PV）出现在内皮细胞和动脉中层。神经元，甚至包括其突起，都被广泛寄生，这一事实可能解释了大脑是一个重要的靶器官。PV也出现在脉络丛的室管膜细胞中，偶尔出现在巨噬细胞中。在巨噬细胞的吞噬溶酶体中发现了大量寄生虫，这一事实可能反映了其相对抗消化能力，因此可能导致明显的肉芽肿反应的发展。得出的结论是，除轻度感染的慢性阶段外，脑部病变似乎是蓝狐脑胞内原虫病的特征性表现。
