PESQUISA VETERINÁRIA BRASILEIRA

Abstract in English:

ABSTRACT.- Pessoa C.R.M., Medeiros R.M.T., Dantas A.F., Oliveira O.F. & Riet-Correa F. 2010. [Tremorgenic disease in ruminants and equidae in the Brazilian semiarid.] Doença tremorgênica em ruminantes e equídeos no semiárido da Paraiba. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 30(7):541-546. Hospital Veterinário, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, 58700-970 Patos, PB, Brazil. E-mail: rmtmed@uol.com Eight outbreaks of a tremorgenic disease are reported in ruminants and equidae in the semiarid region of the Brazilian state of Paraíba. Seven outbreaks occurred from July to December 2007, with highest frequency in September and October. Another outbreak was observed in February 2008. All outbreaks occurred during the dry season. The disease affected horses, mules, cattle and sheep. Clinical signs were staggering, hypermetria, ataxia, wide-based stance and alertness. After being removed from pastures the animals recovered in a period of 3-4 days to two weeks, however when returned to the pasture clinical signs reappeared. One affected sheep was euthanized and necropsied. Gross and histologic lesions were not observed. Different grasses including Digitaria bicornis, Enteropogon mollis, Chloris virgata and Chloris barbata were present in the pastures where the disease occurred. In six farms the disease occurred in cultures of Opuntia ficcus-indica invaded by grasses and two in deforested native vegetation invaded by similar grasses. Two horses were fed ad libitum during seven days, mature forage collected in pastures where the disease occurred. One horse showed mild signs of the disease on the fifth day of consumption, but recovered one day later. These results suggest that the disease is associated with the ingestion of some graminae, probably Chloris spp. Previous reports mentioned the occurrence of a similar disease, between 1956 and 1962, in the semiarid region of Pernambuco, in pastures with Chloris orthonothon.

• Poisonous plants tremorgenic toxins plant poisoning plantas tóxicas toxinas tremorgênicas intoxicação por planta

Abstract in Portuguese:

RESUMO.- Pessoa C.R.M., Medeiros R.M.T., Dantas A.F., Oliveira O.F. & Riet-Correa F. 2010. [Tremorgenic disease in ruminants and equidae in the Brazilian semiarid.] Doença tremorgênica em ruminantes e equídeos no semiárido da Paraiba. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 30(7):541-546. Hospital Veterinário, Centro de Saúde e Tecnologia Rural, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, 58700-970 Patos, PB, Brazil. E-mail: rmtmed@uol.com Descrevem-se oito surtos de uma doença tremorgênica em bovinos, ovinos, equinos e muares na região do Cariri, semiárido da Paraíba. Sete surtos aconteceram de julho a dezembro de 2007, com maior frequência entre setembro e outubro. Outro surto foi observado em fevereiro de 2008. Todos os surtos ocorreram no período da seca. Os sinais observados foram tremores musculares, hipermetria, ataxia, aumento da base de sustentação, constante estado de alerta e, em alguns casos, decúbito. Quando retirados das pastagens os animais recuperavam-se em 3-4 dias a duas semanas, porém quando retornavam ao pasto de origem adoeciam novamente. Um ovino foi necropsiado e não foram observadas lesões macroscópicas ou microscópicas. Em seis propriedades a doença ocorreu em cultivos de palma invadidos por gramíneas e em duas em áreas de caatinga desmatada invadidas pelas mesmas gramíneas. Diversas gramíneas, incluindo Digitaria bicornis, Enteropogon mollis, Chloris virgata e Chloris barbata foram encontradas nos piquetes onde ocorreu a doença. Dois equinos foram alimentados por sete dias com gramíneas secas provenientes de fazendas onde haviam acontecido surtos da doença. Um dos equinos apresentou sinais leves da doença no quinto dia de ingestão, mas recuperou-se no dia seguinte. Esses resultados sugerem que a doença está associada à ingestão de alguma gramínea, possivelmente Chloris spp. Relatos anteriores mencionam a ocorrência de uma intoxicação semelhante, entre 1956 e 1962, no Agreste Pernambucano, em pastagens de Chloris orthonothon.

Abstract in English:

ABSTRACT.- Silva D.M., Riet-Correa F., Medeiros R.M.T. & Oliveira O.F. 2006. [Toxic plants for livestock in the western and eastern Seridó, state of Rio Grande do Norte, in the Brazilian semiarid.] Plantas tóxicas para ruminantes no Seridó Ocidental e Oriental do Rio Grande do Norte. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 26(4):223-236. Hospital Veterinário, CSTR, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, 58700-000 Patos, PB, Brazil. E-mail: franklin.riet@pesquisador.com.br To determine the occurrence of plant poisoning in the Western and Eastern Seridó regions of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, 82 persons including farmers, agronomists and veterinarians were interviewed. The two more important toxic plants are Ipomoea asarifolia, which causes nervous signs in sheep, goats and cattle, and Aspidosperma pyrifolium, leading to abortion in goats, sheep and cattle. The abortive properties of this plant had been demonstrated experimentally in goats, but not in sheep and cattle. Some farmers mentioned the poisoning by A. pyrifolium as a cause of nervous signs in equidae and cattle. Poisoning by cyanogenic plants including Manihot spp, Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (=Piptadenia macrocarpa), Sorghum bicolor and Sorghum halepense are important in the region. Important is also poisoning by Prosopis juliflora in cattle and with less frequency in goats, poisoning by Crotalaria retusa in horses, sheep and cattle, and by Mascagnia rigida in cattle. Poisoning by Brachiaria decumbens and Enterolobium contortisiliquum is sporadic. Other less important toxic plants in the region are Indigofera suffruticosa, Ipomoea carnea, and Ricinus communis. Some farmers reported poisoning by Marsdenia sp affecting sheep and cattle, and also a group of swine fed with the roots of the plant; the leaves and the roots are experimentally toxic to ruminants causing nervous signs, without histologic lesions. Another poisoning demonstrated experimentally is caused by Tephrosia cinerea and results in ascitis with hepatic fibrosis in sheep. Six farmers reported poisoning by Nerium oleander, always in cattle that had access to the shrub after been cut, mixed or not with other plants. Farmers mentioned also poisoning by other plants with unknown toxicity, including Paullinia sp, Passiflora sp, Dalechampia sp, Portulaca oleracea, Luffa acutangula, Cereus sp, Leersia hexandra, and Stemodia maritima. Echinochloa polystachya and Pennisetum purpureum, which cause nitrite poisoning were mentioned by some farmers as cause of cattle mortalities. One farmer mentioned an outbreak of poisoning in cattle and goats by Dieffenbachia picta which had been cut and left to the animals.

• Toxic plants ruminants semiarid region Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract in Portuguese:

ABSTRACT.- Silva D.M., Riet-Correa F., Medeiros R.M.T. & Oliveira O.F. 2006. [Toxic plants for livestock in the western and eastern Seridó, state of Rio Grande do Norte, in the Brazilian semiarid.] Plantas tóxicas para ruminantes no Seridó Ocidental e Oriental do Rio Grande do Norte. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 26(4):223-236. Hospital Veterinário, CSTR, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campus de Patos, 58700-000 Patos, PB, Brazil. E-mail: franklin.riet@pesquisador.com.br To determine the occurrence of plant poisoning in the Western and Eastern Seridó regions of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, 82 persons including farmers, agronomists and veterinarians were interviewed. The two more important toxic plants are Ipomoea asarifolia, which causes nervous signs in sheep, goats and cattle, and Aspidosperma pyrifolium, leading to abortion in goats, sheep and cattle. The abortive properties of this plant had been demonstrated experimentally in goats, but not in sheep and cattle. Some farmers mentioned the poisoning by A. pyrifolium as a cause of nervous signs in equidae and cattle. Poisoning by cyanogenic plants including Manihot spp, Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (=Piptadenia macrocarpa), Sorghum bicolor and Sorghum halepense are important in the region. Important is also poisoning by Prosopis juliflora in cattle and with less frequency in goats, poisoning by Crotalaria retusa in horses, sheep and cattle, and by Mascagnia rigida in cattle. Poisoning by Brachiaria decumbens and Enterolobium contortisiliquum is sporadic. Other less important toxic plants in the region are Indigofera suffruticosa, Ipomoea carnea, and Ricinus communis. Some farmers reported poisoning by Marsdenia sp affecting sheep and cattle, and also a group of swine fed with the roots of the plant; the leaves and the roots are experimentally toxic to ruminants causing nervous signs, without histologic lesions. Another poisoning demonstrated experimentally is caused by Tephrosia cinerea and results in ascitis with hepatic fibrosis in sheep. Six farmers reported poisoning by Nerium oleander, always in cattle that had access to the shrub after been cut, mixed or not with other plants. Farmers mentioned also poisoning by other plants with unknown toxicity, including Paullinia sp, Passiflora sp, Dalechampia sp, Portulaca oleracea, Luffa acutangula, Cereus sp, Leersia hexandra, and Stemodia maritima. Echinochloa polystachya and Pennisetum purpureum, which cause nitrite poisoning were mentioned by some farmers as cause of cattle mortalities. One farmer mentioned an outbreak of poisoning in cattle and goats by Dieffenbachia picta which had been cut and left to the animals.