An Outbreak of Sodium Fluoroacetate (1080) Intoxication in Selenium- and Copper-Deficient Sheep in California

Sodium fluoroacetate is an organofluorine compound toxic to mammals, insects, and birds, currently registered for use only in livestock protection collars as a predacide in some North American states, with restricted use in California. A flock of 445 lambs and ewes in California were moved into a native pasture on a municipal refuse disposal site. Within 24 hours, 14 ewes were found dead, and the remaining sheep were moved off the site. Both ewes and lambs exhibited disoriented running, followed by apparent blindness, weakness, ataxia, coma, and death. Over the next 4 days, 63 ewes and 80 lambs died with a peak at 3 days after grazing the suspect pasture (157/445, 35% mortality). Two dead 4-month-old lambs and 2 ewes were submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety laboratory for necropsy. Grossly, there were bilateral diffuse pulmonary congestion and edema, hydrothorax and hydropericardium with fibrin clots, and multifocally extensive areas of epicardial petechiae, ecchymoses, and pallor. In 1 ewe, there was regional caudodorsal pulmonary hemorrhage and intraluminal tracheal clotted blood. Microscopically in all cases, there was multifocal acute myocardial degeneration and necrosis with nonsuppurative pleocellular myocarditis. Sodium fluoroacetate was detected in kidney from a lamb and a ewe at 27.5 and 12.5 parts per billion, respectively. All sheep were selenium deficient, and concurrent copper deficiency was diagnosed in 3. The pathological and toxicological findings were consistent with 1080 poisoning, possibly exacerbated by micronutrient deficiency. This outbreak raised an alert about the use of restricted products with potential lethal effect in animals in California.EEA MercedesFil: Giannitti, Federico. University of California. School of Veterinary Medicine. California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System; Estados UnidosFil: Anderson, Mark. University of California. School of Veterinary Medicine. California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System; Estados UnidosFil: Caspe, Sergio Gaston. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Mercedes; ArgentinaFil: Mete, A. University of California. School of Veterinary Medicine. California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System; Estados UnidosFil: East, N.E. University of California. School of Veterinary Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Mostrom, M. North Dakota State University. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Poppenga, R. University of California. School of Veterinary Medicine. California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System; Estados Unido

Seroconversion and seroreactivity patterns of dairy goats naturally exposed to caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus in Brazil Soroconversão e sororeatividade de cabras leiteiras naturalmente expostas ao virus da artrite-encefalite caprina no Brasil

A labelled avidin-biotin ELISA (lab-ELISA) using repeated serum samples of goats showed a progressive seroconversion with higher seroconversion rate at the period going from the beginning of the breeding up to the last half of lactation (35.0%), compared to that recorded at the beginning of breeding (17.8%)(p<0.05). Furthermore, the seroreactivity pattern, evaluated by a lab-ELISA standard-curve with serum samples collected at 30-40 days intervals during 12 months, was caracterized by high individual variability. No seroreversion was observed and there were higher titers in the group of animals which delivered kids and established a lactation period (n=6; mean titre=913.4 units) compared to the group of goats that failed to conceived (n=4; mean titre=261.2 units) (p<0.01).<br>Foram realizados exames sorológicos em cabras leiteiras, utilizando-se ELISA marcado com avidina-biotina (LAB-ELISA). Esses exames mostraram soroconversão progressiva, com uma taxa maior entre os animais a partir do início da reprodução até a última metade da lactação (35%) comparada à observada nos animais até o início da reprodução (17,8%)(p<0,05). Além disso, o padrão de sororeatividade das amostras colhidas a cada 30-40 dias, durante 12 meses, avaliado pelo LAB-ELISA, foi caracterizado por alta variabilidade individual. Não foi observada sororeversão, e títulos mais altos foram obtidos mais no grupo constituído por animais que entraram em lactação (n=6, média de títulos=913,4) do que no grupo constituído por animais que cruzaram, mas não conceberam (n=4, média de títulos=261,2)(p<0,01)