Verônica M.T. Nobre

Intoxicação por Crotalaria retusa (Fabaceae) em Eqüídeos no semi-árido da Paraíba

From 2000 to 2003 eight cases of poisoning by Crotalaria retusa L. were observed in horses on 8 farms in the semiarid region of Paraiba and Ceara. C. retusa was found in all farms. The main clinical signs were characteristic of hepatic encephalopathy, with dullness or hyperexcitability, head pressing, compulsive walking or circling and, occasionally, violent uncontrollable galloping. Decreased cranial nerve reflexes, ataxia and weakness were also observed. Other clinical signs were anorexia, weight loss, photosensitization and jaundice. The clinical manifestation period varied from 4 to 40 days, but most horses had a previous history of weight loss. At necropsy the livers were hard, with irregular surface and white areas mixed with dark red areas and increased lobular pattern. Mild jaundice, ascitis, hydropericardium and hydrothorax were also observed. Edema and moderate congestion were seen in the lungs. Histologic changes of the liver were characterized by fibrosis, mainly periportal, megalocitosis and bile duct cell proliferation. Multifocal areas of centrilobular or midzonal hemorrhages were also observed. Centrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis was present in two horses. Alzheimer type II astrocytes were observed, isolated or in groups, mainly in the caudate nucleus and cortex in 4 horses. The poisoning was experimentally produced in 1 adult horse and 3 adult donkeys. The horse received daily 100 g of C. retusa seeds and died 52 days after the beginning of the experiment. The dried whole C. retusa was mixed with grass and given to the 3 experimental donkeys at daily doses of 10g/kg, 5g/kg and 2.5g/kg, respectively. The donkey treated with 5g per kg died 48 days after beginning of the experiment and the other two were sacrificed at 120 days. Clinical signs and pathology were similar to those observed in spontaneous cases, but Alhzeimer type II astrocytes were observed only in the donkey that died 48 days after the beginning of ingestion of the plant material. The concentration of monocrotaline in the whole plant given to the donkeys was 0.5%.

Doenças do sistema nervoso central em caprinos e ovinos no semi-árido

The knowledge of the diseases of domestic animals in the different Brazilian regions is important to determine measures for their control and prevention. The objective of this paper is to report the epidemiology, clinical signs and pathology of the diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) of goats and sheep in the Brazilian semiarid, mainly in the state of Paraiba, diagnosed at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Campina Grande, from January 2000 to May 2006. During the period, 365 cases or outbreaks were diagnosed in goats and 270 in sheep. From these, 63 (9.92%) were of diseases of the CNS, being 34 (9.31%) in goats and 29 (10.7%) in sheep. The main diseases were abscesses (19.04%), tetanus (15.9%), rabies (9.52%) poisoning by Ipomoea asarifolia (7.93%), listeriosis (6.34%), traumatism (6.34%), polioencephalo-malacia (4.77%), pregnancy toxemia (3.17%), enzootic ataxia (3.17%), and meningitis (3.17%). Other diseases diagnosed in only one opportunity (1.59%) were intoxications by Crotalaria retusa, Ipomoea carnea, Ipomoea sericophylla and Prosopis juliflora, otitis with encephalitis, malformation, lymphoblastic lymphosarcoma, medulloblastoma, and focal symmetric necrosis. In 6.34% of the cases diagnosis was unknown.

Poisoning of sheep by seeds of Crotalaria retusa: Acquired resistance by continuous administration of low doses

Seeds of Crotalaria retusa containing 6.84% (dry weight) of monocrotaline (MCT) were administered experimentally to sheep. Three sheep that received 136.8mg MCT/kg bw daily for 70 days had no clinical signs. Five out of six sheep ingesting single doses of 205.2 and 273.6mg MCT/kg bw died with acute (three sheep) or chronic intoxication (two sheep). Acute intoxicated sheep had periacinar liver necrosis and chronic intoxicated sheep liver fibrosis and megalocytosis. Another three sheep had no clinical signs after the ingestion of 20 daily doses of 136.8mg MCT/kg, followed by seven doses of 273.6mg MCT/kg, and one single dose of 342mg MCT/kg. These experiments demonstrated that sheep are susceptible to acute intoxication by MCT being intoxicated by a single oral dose of approximately 205.2mg/kg. In contrast, they develop strong resistance to MCT after the daily ingestion of non lethal doses (136.8mg/kg). It is suggested that chronic poisoning does not occur by the repeated ingestion of non acutely toxic doses, but probably by the ingestion of single toxic doses. It is also suggested that sheep do not become intoxicated with the ingestion of C. retusa in the vegetative non-seeding stage.

Intoxicação por alcaloides pirrolizidínicos em ruminantes e equinos no Brasil

Casos de intoxicacao por alcaloides pirrolizidinicos (APs) em ruminantes e equinos foram investigados retrospectivamente atraves do acesso aos arquivos de dois laboratorios de diagnostico veterinario no Sul e Nordeste brasileiro. Os dados obtidos foram comparados com aqueles retirados da literatura concernentes a surtos dessa toxicose no Brasil, onde ela e associada com a ingestao de plantas que contem APs dos generos Senecio, Crotalaria e Echium. Formas aguda e cronica da toxicose foram encontradas. A doenca aguda foi observada em associacao com a ingestao de Crotalaria retusa em ovinos e caprinos. C. retusa e Senecio spp. tambem foram responsaveis pela intoxicacao cronica em bovinos, equinos e ovinos. A intoxicacao por APs e uma importante causa de morte em animais pecuarios no Brasil. Essa e a principal causa de morte em bovinos na regiao Central do Rio Grande do Sul e uma das principais causas de morte em equinos na Paraiba. A epidemiologia, os sinais clinicos, a patologia e a importância da intoxicacao por APs sao descritos e discutidos.

Febre catarral maligna em bovinos na Paraíba

Six cases of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) observed from 2000 to 2005, and one outbreak occurred from 1986 to 1987 are reported in the state of Paraiba, northeastern Brazil. In one case the disease was diagnosed clinically and in 5 cases also by histopathology consisting of diffuse vasculitis with fibrinoid degeneration and perivascular infiltration of mononuclear cells in many organs. In 5 cases only one cattle was affected, and in one, 2 out of 6 cattle were affected. Five cases occurred from May to August, at the end of the raining season during the lambing season. Clinical signs and pathology were characteristics of the disease. Four cattle died after a clinical manifestation period of 5-8 days, another was euthanized after 40 days, and another recovered. The outbreak reported in the municipality of Taperoa occurred from August 1986 to December 1987, with a morbidity rate of 8.22% and a fatality rate of 100%. The disease occurred after the introduction of a ram in the farm. The outbreak was controlled after the slaughter of all sheep in the farm. These results demonstrated that MCF is endemic in Paraiba, and outbreaks with high morbidity and fatality rates can also occur. As it was previously reported in the state of Rio Grande do Sul few affected cattle can recovered. Because the 6 cases of MCF represent 3.1% of the 190 cases of different diseases diagnosed by the Veterinary Hospital from 2000 to 2005, it can be estimated that the disease affects 0.125% of cattle population in the state of Paraiba.

Natural and experimental poisoning of goats with the pyrrolizidine alkaloid-producing plant Crotalaria retusa L.

Crotalaria retusa L. (rattleweed), estimated to contain about 4.96% monocrotaline (MCT) in the seed, was associated with a natural poisoning outbreak in goats. The poisoning was experimentally reproduced by the administration of C. retusa seeds containing approximately 4.49% of MCT. Thus, 1 of 3 goats given a single dose of 5 g/kg bodyweight (bw) of seeds (248 mg MCT/kg bw) and 2 goats given a single dose of 347 mg MCT/kg bw showed acute clinical signs and were euthanized 10–11 days after dosing. Clinical signs and gross and histologic lesions were characteristic of acute centrilobular liver necrosis.

Morte súbita causada por ruptura de aneurisma em aorta em ruminantes

ABSTRACT From a total of 2,088 necropsied ruminants in the Laboratory of Animal Pathology of Federal University of Campina Grande during the period from January 2003 to December 2015, 803 (38.45%) were cattle, 651 (31.18%) sheep, and 634 (30.37%) goats. Of these, two goats (0.31%), one sheep (0.15%) and one bovine (0.12%) were diagnosed with rupture of aorta due to the presence of aneurysms, corresponding to 0.19% of causes of death in ruminants. Case 1 occurred in a goat that had good body condition and was found dead by the owner, case 2 occurred in a goat that had clinical presumptive diagnosis of caseous lymphadenitis, case 3 occurred in a sheep who was found dead by the owner, and case 4 occurred in a cow with a history of recurrent bloating. In all cases, death occurred rapidly by hypovolemic shock. The macroscopic findings at necropsy were hemothorax or hemoperitoneum and the rupture in the aorta artery. In goats, abscesses were viewed microscopically and they were associated with the presence of bacteria, suggesting for