Observations Morphopathologiques Dans La Maladie Hepatocerebrale Neonatale Chez Les Veaux

Abstract

Necropsy was performed on 4 calves some hours after their birth and subsequently at the age of 36 hours, 3 days and 6 days, and which evidenced diarrhoea and nervous troubles during their life. The macroscopic examination revealed meningoencephalic congestion, leptomeningeal oedema and of the nervous matter, and increased quantity of cephalorachidian fluid. Catarrhal or catarrhal-haemorrhagic gastroenteritis lesions were detected at the level of the alimentary canal. The liver was slightly discoloured showing white-nacreus proliferative strips of the connective tissue.

The microscopy revealed ovoid or round shaped clear marked vacuoles in the white matter of the deep cerebral hemispheres, an aspect seen in the nervous matter around the capillaries as well. Cytoplasmic vacuolizations were also detected inside the oligodendroglia, associated with karryopyknosis and karyorrhexis together with a numerical increase of microglia.

A spongy appearance of vacuolized white matter was seen in the cerebellum, the bulb (medulla oblongata) and the tubercula.

A fatty infiltration was seen at the level of the liver, and a turbid intumescence of the hepatocytes. All these conditions evidenced a mesenchymal reaction as well perilobular, interlobular and around the centrolobular vena.