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Year 2000 - Volume 20, Number 3
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Polioencephalomalacia in cattle in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo, 20(3):119-125
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ABSTRACT.- Nakano L., Lemos R.A.A. & Riet-Correa F. 2000. [Polioencephalomalacia in cattle in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo.] Polioencefalomalacia em bovinos nos estados de Mato Grosso do Sul e São Paulo. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 20(3):119-125. Depto Patologia, Fac. Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, 96010-900 Pelotas, RS, Brazil.
Thirty outbreaks of polioencephalomalacia (PEM) were diagnosed from August 1993 to October 1997. Twenty nine occurred in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and one in São Paulo. The disease affected cattle from 4 months to 7 years of age. Morbidity rates ranged from 0.02% to 14.28% and case fatalities from 42.5 % to 100%. The disease was not seasonal. All outbreaks occurred in cattle grazing Brachiaria spp, except one affecting feedlot cattle. Only neurologic signs were observed, and the course of the disease varied from 12 hours to 4 days in untreated cattle. Most animals treated with thiamine anel dexamethazone recovered. Moderate cerebral edema was observed at necropsy. Cell changes were characterized by laminar necrosis and gitter cells. In two cases moderate cortical anel submeningeal hemorrhages were observed. Nine cases had perivascular anel submeningeal infiltrations by eosinophils. Sodium ion concentration of the cerebrospinal fluid was elevated in one case. The cause of PEM in the region was not determined, but the results suggest that in some cases sodium chloride intoxication/water deprivation could play a role in the etiology of the disease. PEM represents 4.78% of cattle disease diagnosed at the Pathology Laboratory of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul. |
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