Clarice R.M. Pessoa

Importância econômica, epidemiologia e controle das intoxicações por plantas no Brasil

A importância economica, epidemiologia e controle das intoxicacoes por plantas em animais domesticos no Brasil sao revisadas. Com os dados dos laboratorios de diagnostico de diferentes regioes do pais, as perdas anuais por mortes de animais foram estimadas em 820.761 a 1.755.763 bovinos, 399.800 a 445.309 ovinos, 52.675 a 63.292 caprinos e 38.559 equinos. No Brasil, atualmente, o numero de plantas toxicas e de 131 especies e 79 generos e aumenta permanentemente. No entanto, a maioria das perdas sao causadas por poucas plantas, incluindo Palicourea marcgravii, Amorimia spp., Senecio spp., Pteridium aquilinum, Ateleia glazioviana e Cestrum laevigatum em bovinos, Brachiaria spp em bovinos e ovinos, Nierembergia veitchii, Mimosa tenuiflora e Ipomoea asarifolia em ovinos, plantas que contem swainsonina (Ipomoea carnea, Turbina cordata e Sida carpinifolia) em caprinos e Brachiaria humidicola e Crotalaria retusa em equinos. Os principais fatores epidemiologicos relacionados as intoxicacoes por plantas incluem palatabilidade, fome, sede, facilitacao social, desconhecimento da planta, acesso a plantas toxicas, dose toxica, periodo de ingestao, variacoes de toxicidade e resistencia/susceptibilidade dos animais as intoxicacoes. Quanto aos metodos de controle e profilaxia descrevem-se os resultados obtidos no Brasil com metodos recentemente desenvolvidos, incluindo controle biologico, aversao alimentar condicionada, utilizacao de variedades nao toxicas de forrageiras, utilizacao de animais resistentes as intoxicacoes e tecnicas de inducao de resistencia.

Doenças de pele em equídeos no semiárido brasileiro

Diseases that affect the skin and appendages of equidae in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil were analyzed through a retrospective study of records of the Large Animal Clinic of the Veterinary Hospital at the Federal University of Campina Grande, from January 2002 to December 2012. At all, 2054 equidae entered the hospital being 1786 horses, 200 donkeys, and 58 mules. A total of 535 (26.05%) were affected by skin diseases, 447 horses, 68 donkeys and 20 mules. In horses the more prevalent skin diseases were pythiosis (24.38%), traumatic injuries (23.04%), abscesses (12.75%), granulation tissue (8.5%), and habronemiasis (7.38%); together, these diseases represented 76% of dermatological problems observed in this species. In donkeys the more frequent diseases, representing 79.84% of the skin diseases, were traumatic wounds (47.5%), sarcoid (19.11%), and abscesses (13.23%). In mules the most frequent disease was traumatic wounds (30%) and habronemiasis and squamous cell carcinoma (15% each), which together accounted for 60% of the skin diseases in this species. It is concluded that skin diseases are important in equidae in the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil and the knowledge generated in this work is important for the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases.

Abdômen agudo em equídeos no semiárido da região nordeste do Brasil

The cases of equidae acute abdomen diagnosed in the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the semiarid of the Brazilian Northeast were reviewed. From January 2001 to December 2011, 70 (4.5%) equidae out of 1542 were affected by colic, including 60 horses, 4 mules, and 6 donkeys. Large colon impaction diagnosed in 37.14% of the cases was the most frequent cause of colic, followed by small colon impaction (10%) and foreign body in the small colon (7.14%). In four cases, colics were caused by phytobezoars in the large gut, two of which were associated with the ingestion of large amounts of fresh Prosopis juliflora pods. Six cases of colic by foreign bodies, mainly plastic bags, were observed, five located in the small colon and one in the large colon. Strangulating small intestinal lesions were observed in four cases. Other causes of colic were spasmodic colic (two cases due to gastrointestinal parasites and two due to consumption of home residues), and gastric impaction (three cases). Large colon displacement was diagnosed twice. Laceration of the small colon, cecal torsion, and bloat by ingestion of Manihot esculenta were diagnosed once. The main risk factor for the occurrence of colic was the ingestion of choped Pennisetum purpureum, Brachiaria spp., Sorghum spp. or Echinochloa polystachya (OR=4.03; P=0.007). As a result of the low quality of the foods the frequency of colic was significantly higher during the dry season (second semester) (OR=2.61; P<0.01). It is concluded that feeding with low quality forages during the dry season contributes with the high frequency of cases of colic in the Brazilian semiarid, and that is necessary to improve food quality and food management to try to decrease the frequency of this syndrome in the region.

Poisoning by Marsdenia hilariana and Marsdenia megalantha (Apocynaceae) in ruminants

Neurological signs were observed in cattle consuming the roots of Marsdenia hilariana and sheep consuming leaves of Marsdenia megalantha. Similar nervous signs to those observed in spontaneous poisoning were induced experimentally by the administration of roots of M. hilariana to goats, and by the administration of leaves and roots of M. megalantha to sheep. No lesions were observed at necropsies and on histological examination of the nervous system and other tissues.

Pythiosis of the digestive tract in sheep

Cutaneous and rhinofacial infections by Pythium insidiosum have previously been reported in sheep in Brazil. In the current study, a new form of pythiosis involving the alimentary tract of 2 nursing lambs from 2 different farms in the semiarid region of Brazil is described. The first lamb showed food regurgitation, lethargy, and anorexia, and died 5 days after the presentation of clinical signs. The second lamb had no history of gastrointestinal disease before death. Necropsy findings were similar in both lambs. The mucosa of the esophagus, reticulum, rumen, omasum, and abomasum showed ulcerated areas covered by yellowish caseous granular exudate. The lesions were transmural and extended to the serosal surfaces, and adhesions were observed between the serosa of the forestomachs and abomasum to the liver and diaphragm. Histologic lesions consisted of pyogranulomatous necrotizing transmural esophagitis, rumenitis, reticulitis, omasitis, and abomasitis with vascular thrombosis and intralesional hyphae. Pythium insidiosum was confirmed as the etiology by immunohistochemistry and culture. The presence of sheep in the vicinity of water ponds during the hot, dry season when forage is not available in the pastures seems to be the main predisposing factor for the occurrence of pythiosis in sheep in the Brazilian semiarid region.

Paralytic rabies in swine

Rabies transmitted by vampire bats was diagnosed in pigs with paralysis of the pelvic limbs. Diffuse non-suppurative encephalomyelitis, affecting mainly the spinal cord, was observed histologically. Despite the various diagnosis of rabies in pigs this is the first report of clinical signs and pathology of rabies transmitted by vampire bats.

Intoxicação por Indigofera suffruticosa (Leg. Papilionoideae) em bovinos

Poisoning by Indigofera suffruticosa was diagnosed on a farm in the state of Paraiba, in the Brazilian semiarid region, in a herd of 25 cows and one bull. The herd was grazing for ten days in a paddock severely invaded by I. suffruticosa. Five days after the introduction into the paddock some cows showed red urine, and in ten days, when the herd was removed from the pastures, six cows had decreased milk production and hemoglobinuria. Five days after being withdrawn from the pastures, one cow showed aggressiveness and two days later was found death. At necropsy, the liver was yellowish with petechial hemorrhages on the surface and had increased lobular pattern. The kidneys were dark and with red spots up to 2mm in diameter in the surface, which extended radially into the renal cortex. The urinary bladder was full of dark red urine. Upon histologic examination the kidneys had multifocal areas of ischemic tubular necrosis with hemoglobin deposition in the epithelial cells and hemoglobin casts in the tubules. The liver had diffuse paracentral and occasionally centrolobular coagulative necrosis. The other affected cows recovered spontaneously within 3-8 days after having been moved from the paddock. It is concluded that poisoning by I. suffruticosa, despite the spontaneous recovering of most cattle, can cause the death of some affected animals by acute hemolytic anemia.

Diarreia em caprinos associada ao consumo de Arrabidaea corallina (Bignoniaceae)

An outbreak of poisoning by Arrabidaea corallina (Jacq.) Sandw. (Fam. Bignoniaceae) in goats is reported, which occurred in the municipality of Boqueirao, semiarid of Paraiba, during the dry season. In a flock of 550 goats, older than one year of age, 56 (10%) were affected and 6 (1%) died. Clinical signs were diarrhea, increased ruminal movements and depression. The goats recovered after being moved to another paddock. The pasture had low forage availability and large amounts of A. corallina was the only other green plant observed. One goat was necropsied. The gut had liquid, fetid and blackish content, and showed catarrhal enteritis. Histology revealed acute, diffuse and moderate enteritis. Eimeria sp. was also observed. Non significant macroscopic or histological lesions were seen in other tissues. The disease was experimentally reproduced in four goats after the administration of fresh leaves of A. corallina, at 3-6 daily doses of 15g per kg of body weight. The animals showed diarrhea 3-4 days after the beginning of administration and recovered 5-6 days afterwards. It is concluded that the plant is responsible for the outbreak of diarrhea in goats, but parasitic disease or malnutrition can be contributing factors to the animal death. Goats should be withdrawn from paddocks with A. corallina if during the dry seasons no other forage is available.

Systemic acanthamoebiasis associated with canine distemper in dogs in the semiarid region of Paraíba, Brazil

Infections by free-living amoebae can cause systemic disease in animals and humans. We describe the epidemiological, clinical and pathological aspects of disseminated acanthamoebiasis associated with canine distemper in three dogs of the semiarid region of Paraiba, Northeastern Brazil. Affected dogs developed progressive neurological and respiratory signs that progressed to death within in two to 20 days. Gross lesions were irregular and with yellow-reddish nodules randomly distributed in the lungs, heart, kidneys, spleen, lymph nodes, adrenals, and intestine. One dog had foci of malacia in the parietal cortex and another one in nucleus of brain basis. Histologically, pyogranulomas with areas of necrosis and hemorrhage in all organs affected were observed, associated with myriads of intralesional amoebic trophozoites. All three cases were concomitant canine distemper, that possibly triggered immunosuppression in the dogs. The diagnosis was performed through microscopic findings of infection by free-living amoebae and confirmed Acanthamoeba sp. by immunohistochemistry

Lissencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia in a goat

A case of lissencephaly and cerebellar hypoplasia was observed in a 30-day-old goat. The goat presented with sternal recumbence, absence of a menace response, intention tremors, ataxia, and nystagmus. The goat was euthanized and necropsied after having been hospitalised for eleven days. At necropsy, the surface of the brain was found to be smooth, the cerebral sulci and gyri were absent, and the cerebellum was reduced in size. Histologically, the grey matter and white matter were thicker and thinner than normal in cortices, respectively. The neurons were randomly arranged in the grey matter. In the cerebellum, the layers were disorganised, and cells were heterotopics. The histologic and gross lesions observed in this animal are characteristic of lissencephaly associated with cerebellar hypoplasia. The presence of a single goat affected suggests that the malformation was not of infectious origin and because lissencephaly is a malformation not previously described in goats, it is unlikely this case was inherited.