Central nervous manifestation of mulberry heart disease in pigs

The mulberry heart disease of the pig represents a disease with major manif estation at the heart, primarily affecting young animals. Apart from the ch aracteristic haemorrhagic appearance of the heart, current investigations o n two piglets suffering from this microangiopathy show that the brain can b e affected, too. Histopathological findings include marked alteration of the small cerebral blood vessels being most commonly located in pons and midbrain. Vessel wall s show fibrinoid degeneration, necrosis or infiltration with pleomorphic ce lls. Perivascular haemorrhages can be found and sometimes clear PAS-positiv e changes of the vessel wall as well as perivascular droplets occur. The ve ssel lumina are frequently partially or totally obliterated by thrombi, and as a consequence large areas of malacia are found in brain parenchyma. Aet iology and pathogenesis of mulberry heart disease are discussed.