Encephalopathy caused by Talisia esculenta intoxication in pregnant ewes and their newborn lambs. (November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Almeida, Valdir M.; Silva-Filho, Givaldo B.; Bom, Hisadora A. S. C.; Fonseca, Silvio M. C.; Riet-Correa, Franklin; Uzal, Francisco A.; Woolard, Kevin D.; Souza, Francisco A. L.; Mendonça, Fábio S.
• Is Part Of: Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation. Volume 33:Number 6(2021)
• Page Start: 1128
• Page End: 1132
• Publication Date: 2021-11
• Subjects: ataxia -- Brazil -- encephalopathy -- intoxication -- lambs -- pregnant -- sheep -- Talisia esculenta -- talisin; Veterinary medicine -- Diagnosis -- Periodicals; 636.0896075
• DOI: 10.1177/10406387211041098
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1040-6387

Abstract

An outbreak of acute encephalopathy occurred in pregnant ewes and their newborn lambs associated with consumption of Talisia esculenta fruits and bark. Clinical signs in 5 adult pregnant ewes included drooling, bloat, tachypnea, depression, ataxia, body shaking, difficulty in rising, and recumbency. Three neonatal lambs born to some of those ewes had similar clinical signs. No significant gross abnormalities were observed on autopsy. Histologically, neuronal necrosis, axonal and dendritic swelling, and loss of Purkinje neurons were observed in the cerebellum. The observation of similar neurologic clinical signs and lesions in pregnant ewes and their neonatal lambs suggests that the toxic principle of T. esculenta crosses the placenta and reaches the fetus.