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Mariana Isa Poci Palumbo, Rodrigo Maciel Cavalcante, Rogério Martins Amorim, Vânia Maria de Vasconcelos Machado, Noeme Sousa Rocha, Márcio Garcia Ribeiro, Didier Quevedo Cagnini*, Alexandre Secorun Borges
Background
Brain abscesses in horses are rare and typically observed in adults following cranial trauma or systemic infections. Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, commonly found in equine mucosa, is an opportunistic pathogen and a potential zoonotic agent. This case report describes an uncommon instance of a brain abscess in a 3-month-old Quarter Horse foal, linked to cranial trauma and caused by S. zooepidemicus.
Methods
This is a clinical case report of a 3-month-old female foal with seizures, blindness, and coma. Diagnostic methods included complete blood count, serum biochemistry, cerebrospinal fluid analysis, and computed tomography (CT). Postmortem examination with bacterial culture and histopathology confirmed the diagnosis.
Results
CT imaging revealed a 6 cm intracranial mass consistent with an abscess in the left cerebral hemisphere, along with cranial fractures. Postmortem confirmed abscess formation with severe brain tissue destruction. Bacterial culture and biochemical testing identified S. zooepidemicus as the causative agent. Despite antimicrobial and supportive therapy, the foal’s condition did not improve, and euthanasia was performed.
Limitations
The isolate was not confirmed through mass spectrometry or molecular techniques, limiting the certainty of pathogen identification. Additionally, due to the abscess size and clinical severity, surgical treatment was not pursued, restricting therapeutic insights.
Conclusions
This report highlights the need to consider brain abscesses in foals with acute neurological signs and a history of trauma. The identification of S. zooepidemicus underscores its role as an opportunistic pathogen in equine CNS infections and its zoonotic potential. Prompt diagnosis and intervention are critical, and head trauma in foals should be treated as a veterinary emergency.
Traumatic brain abscess in a foal. A) Computed tomography (CT) axial image showing a large space-occupying abscess in the left cerebral hemisphere, causing a rightward midline shift and marked asymmetry between the cerebral hemispheres. A surrounding hyperdense capsule is visible (R = right; L = left). B) Three-dimensional reconstructed CT image highlighting a cranial fracture (arrow). C) Frontal bone fracture (arrow) on the left ventral aspect of the calvarium. D) Gross view of a yellow–red space-occupying mass markedly enlarging the left parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes, more evident on the dorsal and lateral aspects of the left cerebral hemisphere (arrow). E) Aseptic collection of material from the lesion for bacterial culture.
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