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

ABSTRACT

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