Experimental sulfur toxicosis in sheep II- pathologic evaluation of neural and extraneural lesions

Two equal groups, 3 of each, of adult female Balady sheep [8-9 months old] were fed a balanced diet with or without elemental sulfur [0.8% in diet] up to the appearance of neurologic signs including coma and animals were going to die [days 25, 26 and 28 of the experiments for the three intoxicated sheep, respectively]. Brain lesions were typical of polioencephalomalacia primarily of the neocortex and to less extent the cerebellar grey matter. The nonneural lesions included constant severe, diffuse periportal necrosis with centrilobular degeneration, pulmonary edema complicated into serofibrinous pneumonia because of germ invaders, nephrotoxic tubulonecrosis with tubular casts, cardiomyocyte degeneration and segmental necrosis as well as lymphocytic cell depletion of spleen white pulps. Both the gastrointestinal tract and skeletal muscles had no lesions. It could be concluded that the noticeable hepatic lesions may augment the toxic effect of dietary sulfur because of impairment of the hepatic detoxification system to the liberated toxic sulfide ions in the rumen

Experimental sulfur toxicosis in sheep I- the prophylactic potential of thiamine

Nine adult female Balady sheep [8-9 months old] were divided into 3 equal groups. Gp.1 was fed on a balanced diet containing 0.8% elemental sulfur, Gp.2 was fed on the same diet with 0.8% sulfur plus 0.025% pure thiamine, and Gp.3 was a control. Feeding on these diets continued until the appearance of neurologic signs which only appeared in GP.1 and started as anorexia and ended up with coma. Three animals from Gp.1 were dying on days 25, 26 and 28 of the experiment. Brain lesions of Gp.1 animals were typical of polioencephalomalacia [PEM] Primarily of the cerebral and to some extent of cerebellar cortices; however, similar lesions were restricted only to the cerebral grey matter in animals of Gp.2 despite absences of any signs of illness. The extraneural lesions were noticed in animals of Gps. 1 and 2 and included periportal necrosis, serofibrinous pneumonia, renal tubulonecrosis, myocardial segmental necrosis and lymphocytic cell depletion of the splenic corpuscles. It was evident that simultaneous supplementation of thiamine [0.025%] with excess sulfur [0.8%] only prevented the appearance of clinical signs associated with PEM despite the occurrence of the classic cerebral lesions. Also, the neural lesions were confined only to the cerebrum; however, the cerebellum was normal. Moreover, administration of thiamine did not prevent the appearance of extraneural lesions

Early destructive lesions in the developing brain: clinical and electrographic correlates

OBJECTIVE: Early brain insults can cause cavitary lesions including porencephaly (POR) and multicystic encephalopathy (MCE). The objective of this study was to investigate clinical and electrographic correlates associated to these types of destructive brain lesions. METHOD: Patients with POR and MCE were selected and submitted to clinical and Video-EEG monitoring. The following variables were analyzed: demographic data, type of lesion, presence of gliosis, perinatal complications, epilepsy, brain atrophy, and presence and frequency of epileptiform discharges. RESULTS: Twenty patients were included, 65 percent males, 35 percent females, ages ranging from 1 to 40 years, 14 with MCE and 6 with POR. Eighteen patients had hemiparesis, 19 had epilepsy (current or in the past), seven of them had refractory seizures, and 16 had epileptiform discharges. All patients with MCE had gliosis while only 2 with POR had it. CONCLUSIONS: No correlation was observed between type of lesion and clinical and electrographical outcome. However, a positive correlation was observed between frequency of discharges and presence of brain atrophy, and between MCE and gliosis.

OBJETIVO: Insultos cerebrais precoces podem causar lesões cavitárias incluindo porencefalias (POR) e encefalomalacias multicisticas (EMC). O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar correlatos clínicos e eletrográficos associados a estes dois tipos de lesões destrutivas. MÉTODO: Pacientes com POR e EMC foram selecionados e submetidos à avaliação neurológica e monitorização vídeo-eletrencefalográfica, analisando-se as seguintes variáveis: dados demográficos, tipo de lesão, presença de gliose, complicações perinatais, epilepsia, atrofia cerebral, presença e freqüência de descargas epilépticas. RESULTADO: Vinte pacientes foram incluídos, sendo 65 por cento do sexo masculino, 35 por cento do feminino, idades entre 1 e 40 anos, sendo 14 com EMC e 6 com POR. Dezoito pacientes tinham hemiparesia, 19 tinham ou tiveram epilepsia (7 deles refratários ao tratamento medicamentoso) e 16 deles tinham paroxismos epileptiformes. Todos com MCE tinham gliose associada, contra apenas 2 dos pacientes com POR. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve correlação entre tipo de lesão e evolução clínica e eletrográfica. Houve, entretando, correlação positiva entre freqüência de descargas epilépticas e presença de atrofia cerebral, e entre lesão do tipo EMC e presença de gliose.

Intoxicação por Ramaria flavo-brunnescens (Clavariaceae) em bovinos / Poisoning by Ramaria flavo-brunnescens (Clavariaceae) in cattle

Dois surtos de intoxicação pelo cogumelo Ramaria flavo-brunnescens são relatados em bovinos de duas fazendas localizadas nos municípios de Santa Maria e São Gabriel, no Rio Grande do Sul, no período de abril-maio de 2005. De um total de 180 bovinos de sobreano que tiveram acesso a bosques de eucaliptos, 19 adoeceram e 10 morreram. A evolução clínica foi de 8-15 dias e os sinais clínicos incluíam depressão, perda de peso, desidratação, salivação excessiva, afrouxamento e perda dos pêlos longos da cauda, alisamento da superfície dorsal da língua com ocasional ulceração, afrouxamento do estojo córneo dos chifres, fezes em forma de cíbalos e recobertas por película de muco, hipópion, hifema e opacidade da córnea. Dois novilhos tinham leucocitose devido a leve desvio regenerativo à esquerda. Os achados de necropsia confirmaram as observações clínicas e adicionalmente incluíam esofagite fibrinonecrótica, principalmente no terço distal do esôfago. Alterações histopatológicas na pele da cauda incluíam hiperqueratose ortoqueratótica, folículos pilosos com contornos irregulares, espessamento da camada de queratina tricolemal e formação ocasional de tampões de queratina; degeneração e necrose da bainha radicular externa também era observada. Nos cascos havia hemorragia, fibrina e infiltrado neutrofílico nas lâminas dérmicas, hiperplasia do topo das lâminas epidérmicas com queratinização irregular e retenção dos núcleos; várias lâminas epidérmicas estavam encurtadas e fundidas. Na mucosa da língua o epitélio de revestimento estava adelgaçado, com atrofia e perda das papilas filiformes, áreas multifocais de disqueratose e espongiose das células da camada basal. Em algumas porções havia perda do epitélio e a superfície da língua era formada por tecido de granulação e infiltrado inflamatório misto. A mucosa esofágica de seis novilhos apresentava vários graus de necrose epitelial e inflamação. A perda do epitélio de revestimento revelava uma área subjacente de tecido ...

Two oubreaks of poisoning by the mushroom Ramaria flavo-brunnescens are reported in cattle from two farms located in the municipalities of Santa Maria and São Gabriel, state of Rio Grande do Sul, during April-May 2005. Out of a total of 180 yearling calves that had access to a pasture with eucalyptus woods, 19 were affected and 10 died. The clinical courses were 8-15 days and clinical signs included depression, weight loss, dehydration, drooling, loosening and loss of the long hairs of the tip of the tail, smoothening of the dorsal surface of the tongue with occasional ulceration, loosening of the corneal encasement of horns, hard and ball-shaped feces covered with a film of mucous, hypopion, hyphema and corneal opacity. Two calves had leucocytosis due to mild regenerative left shift. Nine calves were necropsied. Necropsy findings confirmed the clinical observation and additionaly included fibrinonecrotic esophagitis, mainly in the distal third of the esophageal mucosa. Histopathological changes in the skin of the tail included orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis; hair folicles with irregular contours, thickening of the tricolemmal keratin layer with occasional formation of keratin plugs, and degeneration and necrosis of the outer root sheath. At the laminar region of the hooves, there was hyperplasia of the top of epidermal laminae with irregular keratinization and retention of nuclei; several epidermal laminae were shortened and fused. There was hemorrhage, fibrin and neutrophilic infiltrate in the dermal laminae. In the mucosa of the tongue there was thinning of the covering epithelium, atrophy and loss of filiform papillae, multifocal areas of dyskeratosis, and spongiosis of the basal cell layer. In some parts the epithelium was lost and the surface consisted of granulation tissue and mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate. The esophageal mucosae of six calves had varying degree of epithelial necrosis and inflammation. The loss of the covering epithelium revealed ...

Multicystic encephalomalacia.

Antepartum death of a fetus in a multiple gestation can be associated with mortality or major morbidity in the survivor. This article reports a rare case of multicystic encephalomalacia that occurred in the survivor twin with antepartum death of its co-twin. Its pathology and pathogenesis are discussed with review of literature.

Lesiones isquémico-anóxicas del encefalo en fetos y recién nacidos fallecidos: estudio anatomopatológico / Ischemic-anoxic lesions in still births and dead newborns: anatomopathologic study

Se realiza un estudio anatopatológico de las lesiones isquémico-anóxicas en fetos y recién nacidos fallecidos. Se indica que las lesiones encontradas fueron de 2 tipos. Se describen las características estructurales y de localización, su relación con la hemorragia cerebral y la madurez estructural de los fetos y recién nacidos