Bovine enzootic haematuria from consumption of Pteris deflexa and Pteris plumula in northwestern Argentina.

Bovine enzootic haematuria (BEH) is caused by prolonged ingestion of toxic principles of bracken fern, essentially by Pteridium spp. In northwestern Argentina, this disease has a great economic impact ant it is attributed a chronic consumption to Pteridium arachnoideum. This paper describes two endemic areas for enzootic hematuria due to the consumption of Pteris deflexa and Pteris plumula. Two areas where P. deflexa and P. plumula are endemic, but free of Pteridium species, were devised and seven farms were visited. The disease was confirmed based on the presence of clinically affected animals. In four necropsies bleeding neoplastic lesions were observed in the mucosa of the urinary bladder. At phytochemical analysis, both ptaquiloside and pterosin B were found in P. deflexa and P. plumula. Thus, the consumption of P. deflexa and P. plumula can also cause BEH.

Swainsonine-induced lysosomal storage disease in goats caused by the ingestion of Sida rodrigoi Monteiro in North-western Argentina.

There are numerous poisonous plants that can induce intralysosomal accumulation of glycoproteins and neurologic syndromes. Here we describe for the first time, a disease caused by ingesting Sida rodrigoi Monteiro in goats in North-western Argentina. The animals showed weight loss, indifference to the environment, unsteady gait and ataxia. Histopathologic studies showed vacuolization in cells of various organs, mainly in the CNS. The material deposited in the cells was positive for LCA (Lens culinaris agglutinin), WGA (Triticum vulgaris agglutinin), sWGA (succinyl-Triticum vulgaris agglutinin) and Con-A (Concanavalia ensiformis agglutinin) lectins. Finally, toxic levels of swansonine were identified in the plant. The present investigation allowed to recognize S. rodrigoi Monteiro poisoning as a plant induced α-mannosidosis.