Fig. 3: Histological evidence of P. coatneyi induced pathology in central nervous system revealed by H&E staining.

a Brainstem (Pcoat⁺ MB⁻): Focally extensively, there is marked hemorrhage, within which erythrocytes contain hemozoin pigment. b Cerebrum (Pcoat⁺ MB⁻): Virchow-Robin space surrounding a cerebral vessel is markedly expanded by extravasated erythrocytes, with erythrocytes containing hemozoin pigment. c Cerebellum (Pcoat⁺ MB⁻): Pürkinje cells are angulated, retracted and condensed, surrounded by abundant edema, indicating varying degrees of degeneration. Diffusely, the cerebellar vasculature contains small accumulations of hemozoin. d Brainstem (Pcoat⁺ MB^6mg/kg): Multifocally neurons display intracytoplasmic chromatin clumping and are bounded by gliosis and satellitosis. e Cerebrum (Pcoat⁺ MB^6mg/kg): Neurons are multifocally angulated and hypereosinophilic, suggestive of degeneration and necrosis, with mild gliosis and satellitosis. f Cerebellum (Pcoat⁺ MB^6mg/kg): Pürkinje cells are multifocally angulated and bounded by glial cells and mild to moderate amounts of edema, with foci of hemosiderin. g Brainstem (Pcoat⁺ MB^10mg/kg): Multifocally neurons contain intracytoplasmic ceroid or lipofuscin and are bounded by minimal gliosis and satellitosis. h Cerebrum (Pcoat⁺ MB^10mg/kg): Multifocally within the neuropil, there is mild gliosis and satellitosis, and perivascular spaces are expanded by edema. i Cerebellum (Pcoat⁺ MB^10mg/kg): Pürkinje cells multifocally contain minimal intracytoplasmic ceroid or lipofuscin. j Brainstem (Pcoat⁺ MB^17mg/kg): Multifocally neurons contain intracytoplasmic ceroid or lipofuscin and are bounded by minimal gliosis and satellitosis. k Cerebrum (Pcoat⁺ MB^17mg/kg): Neurons are rarely angulated and hypereosinophilic, suggestive of degeneration and necrosis. Multifocally, mild gliosis and satellitosis are observed. l Cerebellum (Pcoat⁺ MB^17mg/kg): Pürkinje cells are multifocally angulated and bounded by scattered glial cells and mild edema. Scale bar represented 100 µm. MB-treated photomicrographs are representative of pathology observed across the three animals in each dosage group. Pathology in Pcoat⁺ MB⁻ is supported by extensive retrospective and prospective studies^46,118. Created in BioRender. Malleret, B. (2025) https://BioRender.com/00ghavt.