Leukoencephalomalacia in equine on the West coast of Uruguay

Abstract

Three outbreaks of equine leukoencephalomalacia diagnosed by the Northwest Regional Laboratory DILAVE "Miguel C. Rubino" are described. All of them occurred in summer and early spring associated with ingestion of corn. In the first two outbreaks only one equine was affected respectively, while in the third one, 7 of 15 animals showed symptoms and died (morbidity and mortality 47%); being the lethality 100% in the three situations. The main gross lesions were observed in the central nervous system with multifocal yellow areas of softening, cavitation and hemorrhage on the white matter, mainly in the thalamus, hippocampus, caudate nucleus and brainstem areas. At the histopathology areas of malacia and vacuolation of white matter, surrounded by edema and hemorrhage with degenerative changes in the vascular endothelium were found. One of the affected animals had degenerative lesions in the liver, consistent with periacinar hemorrhagic necrosis and vacuolation ofmidzonal hepatocytes. In the third outbreak, it was detennined the concentration of fumonisins in the com through a competitive ELISA,  with a result of 6,91 J1g/g.