SPONGIFORM CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM MYELINOPATHY IN AFRICAN DWARF GOATS

A novel spongiform myelinopathy of the central nervous system (CNS) of eleven African dwarf goats was examined by light and electron microsc opy. Histological lesions consisted of extensive vacuolation predomina ntly of the white matter of the diencephalon, midbrain and cerebellar peduncles, as well as of spinal white matter. Ultrastructurally, vacuo les were shown to be intramyelinic, resulting from the splitting of th e outer myelin lamellae at the intraperiod line. A few oligodendrocyte s showed vacuolar degeneration of cell bodies and processes. Inflammat ory reactions were absent. The observed lesions point to an unknown pr imary damage of oligodendroglia and central myelin. A hereditary backg round of the disorder is suspected as all investigated dwarf goats wer e half-brothers or -sisters and partly descended from the mating of ad ult females with their own sire. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited