Dhakeri-bange Syndrome in Goats Due to Moldy Forage/fodder Poisoning Contaminated With Penicillium and Aspergillus Spp, in Banke District of Nepal: a

Dhakeri-Bange syndrome in goats due to moldy forage/fodder poisoning contaminated with Penicillium and Aspergillus spp, in Banke district of Nepal: a Clinical-Laboratory Investigation.

An outbreaks of a syndrome of unknown etiology associated with the feeding of moldy dry forage and green fodder to goats in Dhakeri village of Banke District . Goats suddenly became ill with symptoms of knuckling of the fetlocks of the pelvic limbs, with no apparent ataxia or flexor weakness. Weight bearing was possible while the digits were extended, but with knuckling, weight was supported on the dorsal surface of the foot .The more severely affected goats were paraplegic and recumbent. anorexia, apathy, diarrhea and ruminal stasis,flaccid posterior paralysis,hindlegs stretched forward both side of abdomin,paralysis of all four legs, head bented to sides, aimlessly head and rear shaking .On clinical examination based on history these goats were provisionally diagnosed as Dhakeri-Bange as being called locally and Endemic Mycotic polyneuropathy syndrome as seen first time in Nepal due to moldy forage/fodder poisoning in natural pasture were treated with Antidegnala liquor(sr). On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat and forage/fodder samples from pasture and goats feeding stalls on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli.These results provide circumstantial evidence that feeding of moldy forages and green fodder leaves infected by Penicillium and Aspergillus spp may cause outbreaks of a systemic Mycosis in these goats.    

Key words:

Moldy forage, greenfodder, Penicillium, Aspergillus Spp, Fungus, Goat,Dhakeri-Bange,mycoticpolyneuropathy,Banke,Antidegnala liquor(s.r) 

Background:

During the autumn season in Month of October-November of year 2008 about 300 goats raised by farmers of different village development comities in Banke districts of Nepal started showing paralytic symptoms like Kumri and were treated with the preparation of Diethylcarbamazin but disease situation did not subsided. The goats included in this study had knuckling of the fetlocks of the pelvic limbs, with no apparent ataxia or flexor weakness. Weight bearing was possible while the digits were extended, but with knuckling, weight was supported on the dorsal surface of the foot .The more severely affected goats were paraplegic and recumbent. The syndrome was consistent with sciatic or peroneal nerve disease. The paraplegic goats also have had a component of femoral nerve involvement. A field and clinical laboratory investigation was initiated to find out the cause of disease and to provide the appropriate curative and preventive measure. 

Material and Method: 

     1: Clinical examination of goats in herds.

     All goats present in farmers house and stalls and pasture on clinical examination were found having symptoms like Anorexia, Ataxia, Diarrhea, Dullness, Dysmetria, Generalized weakness, various stage of polyneuropathic condition; knuckling of the fetlocks of the pelvic limbs, with no apparent ataxia or flexor weakness. Weight bearing was possible while the digits were extended, but with knuckling, weight was supported on the dorsal surface of the foot similar to reported by Dr. Maurice E. White 2008, , and ruminal stasis, Schneider DJ, Marasas WF, Collett MG, van der Westhuizen GC, 1985. R. W. Medd, G. M. Murray and D. I. Pickering,2008. : L. W. Whitlow and W. M. Hagler, Jr.2008, S. Hanche-Olsen  , J. Teige  , I. Skaar  , and C.F. Ihler .

     2: Post-Mortem Examination of dead goats.

On Post-Mortem examination of all 16 goats revealed the lesions which   included mild focal erosions to severe, diffuse, coagulative necrosis of the mucosa in the rumen, reticulum and omasum and congestion and hemorrhages in the abomasum.Liver with shrunken appearance pale to yellowish discoloration with bile filled distended bladder pin point hemorrhage in kidney, small intestine with excessive mucus similar to lesions experimentally induced by Schneider DJ, Marasas WF, Collett MG, van der Westhuizen GC, 1985,and reported by DhamaK, ChauhanR S1,*, MahendranMahesh, SinghKP1, TelangAG1, SinghalLokesh1, TomarSimmi2   2007, R. W. Medd, G. M. Murray and D. I. Pickering,2008; Hussein S. Hussein,  and Jeffrey M. Brasel 2001.

     3: Microbial/Mycobial Culture examination of Post-Mortem Tissue samples. 

On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat and forage and fodder from natural pasture on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli similar to the findings of Karki et.al.2008 C. Wendell Horne 2008, www.springerlink.com/index/q7g038v8x3m10026.pdf 2008 Sabreen, M. S. and Zaky, Z. M.* 2001; S. Hanche-Olsen  , J. Teige  , I. Skaar  , and C.F. Ihler .Where as all nasal and rectal swabs from  sick and dead animals tested for PPR with penside test turn out to be negative.  

4:Treatment of clinically affected goats and Rest herd:

All goats that were showing clinical symptoms were treated with Antidegnala liquor(s.r) 2 ml s/c followed by 1 ml daily for next four days.Similarly rest of animals in herds were also provided with same drugs at the dose rate of 1 ml orally for four days.Those goats received the treatment as earliest  time recovered promptly the delayed treated goats too recovered but took bit longer time the treatment response was similar to earlier findings of Karki et.al  2008.

     Result and Discussion:

     As during warm humid climate of tropics and subtropics favors growth of mold and fungus in feed grains and fodder especially after heavy monsoon rain feeding of exclusively such grain to livestock and poultry seems to cause the detrimental effect in the health these animals. On mycological and microbiological examination of tissue samples from post-mortem of dead goat and forage/fodder samples from natural pasture on respective medium revealed the growth of fungal pathogens like Aspergillus and Penicillium spp with E.coli.These results provide circumstantial evidence that feeding of moldy maize grain and green fodder leaves infected by Penicillium and Aspergillus spp and timely use of Antidegnala liquor has controlled the further mortality in sick goats and when remaining animals in herd there was no further appearance of syndrome indicative of the above polyneuropathic syndrome was caused by a systemic Mycosis in these goats need to be looked into.

References:

1: Kedar Karki and Purnima Manandhar: Clinical-Epidemiological Investigation of Mouldy Corn Poisoning due to Penicillium spp. in mules at Udayapur District, Nepal: Veterinary World   pp 107-110 vol. 1 no. 4 April 2oo8 

2:Polyneuropathy Associated with Forage Sources in Norwegian Horses:Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine;Volume 22; Issue 1; 2008; Page 178-184 S. Hanche-Olsen 1 , J. Teige 2 , I. Skaar 3 , and C.F. Ihler 1 1 Department of Companion Animal Clinical Sciences, Equine Section, Oslo, Norway,   2 Department of Basic Sciences and Aquatic Medicine, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway and   3 Department of Food and Feed Hygiene, National Veterinary Institute, Oslo, Norway 

3:A Laboratory outbreak investigation of Post-Monsoon Endemic Moist Eczematous Syndrome in cattle in Jhapa District of Nepal; VOLUME 1 - NO. 8 (August-2008); Page No.  233-236 Kedar Karki,Poornima Manandhar and Pragya Koirala,Central Veterinary Laboratory,Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal    

Acknowledgment: 

We would like to thank Mr.J.N.Panday and Miss Srijana Acharya of Kantipur Publication Regional Office Nepalganj for providining early indication of problem. Thanks are due to Mr.Jaya Bahadur Karki,Mr.Ramlal Rokaya,Mr.Dipendra Oli, Mr. Gobinda Rokaya,Veterinary Technicians working in Dhakeri,Kohalpur area for providing help during sample collection and treatment.Thanks are also deu to the all farmers for their co-opreation  during this investigation process without which this report shouldnot have come in this shapeThanks are due to Mr. Bal Bahadur Kunwar Mr. Tek Bahadur Air Senior Vet. Technician and Mr.Bhimsen Adhikari Vet. Technician of Microbioly Unit,Mr Purna Maharajan Vet Technician of Central Veterinary Laboratory for doing the microbiology  and post-mortem works and office assistant Mr. Chandra Bahadur Rana for his tireless effort in handling the carcass during post-mortem work .  

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