ABSTRACT
This review updates information about neurotoxic plants affecting ruminants and equidae in Brazil. Currently in the country, there are at least 131 toxic plants belonging to 79 genera. Thirty one of these poisonous plants affect the nervous system. Swainsonine-containing plants (Ipomoea spp., Turbina cordata and Sida carpinifolia) cause numerous outbreaks of poisoning, mainly in goats, but cattle and horses are occasionally affected. The poisoning by Ipomoea asarifolia, a tremorgenic plant, is very common in sheep, goats and cattle in the Northeastern region and in the Marajo island. Poisoning by the pods of Prosopis juliflora are frequent in cattle in Northeastern Brazil; occasionally this poisoning affects goats and more rarely sheep. Some poisonings by plants, such as Hybanthus calceolaria, Ipomoea marcellia and Talisia esculenta in ruminants and Indigofera lespedezioides in horses were recently described and needs to be accurately investigated about its occurrence and importance. Other plants poisonings causing nervous signs in ruminants and equidae are less important, but should be considered for the differential diagnosis of neurologic diseases.(AU)
Esta revisão tem por objetivo atualizar as informações sobre plantas neurotóxicas que afetam ruminantes e equinos no Brasil. Atualmente sabe-se que existe no país pelo menos 131 plantas tóxicas pertencentes a 79 gêneros. Trinta e uma espécies afetam o sistema nervoso. As plantas quem contém swainsonina (Ipomoea spp., Turbina cordata and Sida carpinifolia) causam numerosos surtos de intoxicação, principalmente em caprinos, mas bovinos e cavalos são ocasionalmente afetados. A intoxicação por Ipomoea asarifolia, uma planta tremorgênica, é muito comum em ovinos, caprinos e bovinos na região Nordeste e na ilha de Marajó. A intoxicação pelas vagens de Prosopis juliflora é frequente em bovinos no Nordeste do Brasil; ocasionalmente são afetados caprinos e mais raramente ovinos. Algumas intoxicações por plantas, como Hybanthus calceolaria, Ipomoea marcellia e Talisia esculenta em ruminantes e Indigofera lespedezioides em equinos foram recentemente descritas e precisam ser investigadas com precisão sobre sua ocorrência e importância. Outras intoxicações por plantas que causam sinais nervosos em ruminantes e equídeos são menos importantes, todavia devem ser consideradas para o diagnóstico diferencial de doenças neurológicas.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Plant Poisoning/physiopathology , Plant Poisoning/veterinary , Plants, Toxic , Ruminants , Nerve Agents/analysis , Horses , Nervous System , BrazilABSTRACT
Neurotoxic envenomation following bites by kraits (Bungarus species) is a leading cause of snakebite mortality in South Asia. Over a long time, this had been attributed only to one species, the common krait (Bungarus caeruleus). However, recent research has provided increasing evidence of the involvement of several krait species. Here, we report a fatal case of neurotoxic envenomation following the bite of a greater black krait (Bungarus niger) in Nepal. Case presentation A 33-year-old man was bitten in the outdoor corridor of his home in the eastern hills of Ilam district while handling a snake he thought to be non-venomous. He subsequently developed severe abdominal pain, frequent vomiting, and signs of neurotoxic envenomation leading to respiratory paralysis. The patient did not respond to Indian polyvalent antivenom given 4 h after the bite and died under treatment 8 h after the bite. This is the second time that a B. niger was observed in Nepal, the first documented case of envenomation by this species in the country and the sixth reported case worldwide. Conclusions Previous distribution records from eastern India and western Nepal, from western hills in Nepal, and from lowland localities in India and Bangladesh indicate risk of envenomation by B. niger throughout the low and intermediate elevations of Nepal up to at least 1,500 m above sea level. As very few people in Nepal bring killed snakes to healthcare centers and because there is a general belief among local people that there are no kraits in the hills, bites by B. niger are likely to be misdiagnosed and underreported.