Maroneze Gabriele, Cerqueira Liz de Albuquerque, Borges José Renato Junqueira, Castro Márcio Botelho de, Câmara Antonio Carlos Lopes
Large Animal Veterinary Teaching Hospital, College of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia 70636-200, DF, Brazil.
Veterinary Pathology and Forensic Laboratory, College of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Universidade de Brasília, Brasilia 70910-900, DF, Brazil.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Sep 15;15(18):2692. doi: 10.3390/ani15182692.
Pituitary abscess syndrome (PAS) is a rare neurological disorder, typically associated with progressive dysfunction of the cerebrum and brainstem. Reporting PAS in ruminants is essential to broaden the global veterinary understanding of this condition. The present study describes the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and pathological findings of nine ruminant cases diagnosed with PAS. Neurological signs were the most prominent clinical manifestations and included altered mentation, tongue hypotonia, nystagmus, blindness, ear ptosis, circling, facial hypoalgesia, head pressing, and proprioceptive deficits. Hematological alterations in some animals comprised leukocytosis by neutrophilia, a degenerative left shift, and hyperfibrinogenemia. Serum biochemical abnormalities were inconsistent and varied among cases. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis revealed marked variability, ranging from normal parameters to mild or marked pleocytosis, often accompanied by hyperproteinorrachia. Microbiological cultures from CSF samples or abscess material yielded , spp., and spp. Gross pathological findings primarily included pituitary hyperemia, abscess formation, or diffuse suppurative inflammation characterized by a creamy yellow to greenish exudate. Histopathological examination revealed severe multifocal suppurative inflammation composed predominantly of neutrophils, occasional histiocytes, abundant bacteria, areas of necrosis, and encapsulated abscesses. This retrospective study provides novel insights into the clinical, laboratory, and pathological characteristics of PAS in ruminants under field conditions, thereby contributing to improved recognition and diagnostic understanding of this uncommon disease.
垂体脓肿综合征（PAS）是一种罕见的神经系统疾病，通常与大脑和脑干的进行性功能障碍有关。报告反刍动物的PAS对于扩大全球兽医对这种疾病的认识至关重要。本研究描述了9例被诊断为PAS的反刍动物病例的流行病学、临床、实验室、微生物学和病理学发现。神经症状是最突出的临床表现，包括精神状态改变、舌张力减退、眼球震颤、失明、耳下垂、转圈、面部痛觉减退、头部压迫和本体感觉缺陷。一些动物的血液学改变包括中性粒细胞增多引起的白细胞增多、退行性左移和高纤维蛋白原血症。血清生化异常不一致，病例之间各不相同。脑脊液（CSF）分析显示差异很大，从正常参数到轻度或明显的细胞增多，常伴有蛋白含量升高。脑脊液样本或脓肿材料的微生物培养产生了 、 属和 属。大体病理发现主要包括垂体充血、脓肿形成或弥漫性化脓性炎症，其特征为奶油黄色至绿色渗出物。组织病理学检查显示严重的多灶性化脓性炎症，主要由中性粒细胞、偶尔的组织细胞、大量细菌、坏死区域和包膜脓肿组成。这项回顾性研究为野外条件下反刍动物PAS的临床、实验室和病理特征提供了新的见解，从而有助于提高对这种罕见疾病的认识和诊断理解。
