| Abstrakt: |
Frequently, the origin of encephalitis in the animal remains unrecognized, thus clinician, owners of the affected pet and patient itself, are left with considerable uncertainty about treatment options and, hence, prognosis. Staggering disease (SD), is a neurological disease entity, is considered as a threat to European domestic cats (Felis catus). Its causative agent has remained undetermined for almost five decades. Rustrela virus (RusV) genomic RNA and RusV antigen detected by employing independent diagnostic assays, including RT-qPCR, genome sequencing, immunochemistry and in situ hybridization, were consistently found in majority of diseased cats. RusV, family Matonaviridae, genus Rubivirus is a close relative of Rubella virus in humans. RusV was detected in brain of domestic cats showing clinical signs of SD in Sweden, Germany, Austria, and other European countries. The most prototypic clinical sign of staggering disease is hind limbs legs ataxia with a generally increased muscle tone, resulting in a specific, staggering gait. In addition, a broad range of other neurologic signs may occur, as the inability to retract the claws, hyperesthesia and occasionally tremors and seizures. Behavioral alterations may include enhanced vocalization, depression, becoming more affectionate, and rarely, aggressive. The brain histopathology has showed non-suppurative, predominantly lymphohistiocytic meningoencephalomyelitis with angiocentric immune cell infiltration and perivascular cuffing, predominantly in the grey matter. Molecular based procedures have strongly supported the identification of RusV as an agent of staggering disease, however, Borna virus is also considered as possible co-responsible in feline neurologic disorders. In this article, current knowledge on SD was presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
