|
|
|
Case 1:
History:
9 week old DSH kitten presented with emaciation, dehydration,
pale mucosa and a painful abdomen.
All 5 littermates presented with a similar history, followed by profuse
diarrhoea and death within 24 hours.
Vaccination status of queen was unknown.
Intestine diffusely dilated. Serosal surface is reddened
in some segments.
Mucosal surface: Necrotic/diphtheritic membranes adherent
to a red, ulcerated surface. Note the severe oedema of the intestinal
wall (arrowheads)
Small Intestine (x40). There has been severe loss of
intestinal villi. Mucosal crypts are dilated.
Slide Ref: 344-95
Small Intestine (x200). Crypt epithelium is attenuated (flattened).
Slide Ref: 344-95*
Small Intestine (x400). Attenuation of mucosal epithelium
in an attempt to cover surface of damaged villi (arrowheads)
Slide Ref: 344-95*
Feline infectious enteritis (panleucopenia/parvovirus):
Virus replicates in and destroys the rapidly dividing cells
of the intestinal crypts, as well as haemopoietic progenitor cells.
Destruction of crypts lead to villous collapse which causes maldigestion/ malabsorption
because of the loss of enterocytes. At the same time there is increased permeability (exudation) through necrotic
mucosa which contributes to diarrhoea.
Destruction of haemopoietic cells produces pancytopenia, which increases the animal's susceptibility to secondary bacterial infection if it survives for long enough.
|
