Clinical Observation of Deg Nala disease in buffaloes and cattle in Banke District in Nepal a case study

Dr.Kedar Karki

ABSTRACT

The prevalence, etiology, chemotherapy and control of Deg Nala disease were studied. The disease occurs in winter months when fungal infested rice straw is fed to cattle and buffaloes. Buffaloes are more frequently affected than cattle and younger animals appear to be more susceptible. The possibility of mycotoxin in causation of the disease is discussed. The most frequently found fungi species recorded from rice straw were: Aspergillus spp Penicillium spp. Therapeutic treatments with various drugs were carried out, with Anti degnala liquor giving the highest cure rate followed by a mixture of Penta-sulphate. Feeding of 2% copper sulphate treated straw was an effective prevention.

Key words: Deg Nala disease, etiology, prevalence, chemotherapy, buffalo, Bubalus bubalis

Introduction

Signs and lesions recorded in Degnala disease Severe cases lingered for 1 to 2 months, but in others the wounds healed within a few weeks. The diseased animals were invariably weak. Ulcerative wounds and gangrene developed on the limbs and other dependent parts of the body. Almost all cases showed gangrene of the tail, which was shrivelled and cold to the touch. Invariably, one or both ears showed signs of dry gangrene. In some cases the muzzle and even the tip of the tongue became gangrenous and was shed. One or more hooves showed lesions in varying stages of development. In some cases the affected feet and legs were swollen up to the knee; hair was denuded and inflammatory changes set in. Later, wounds appeared on the coronet, fetlock, pastern, knee and in the hock region. In very advanced cases the lower regions of the feet become gangrenous. In some cases the hooves were shed and bones were exposed. The gangrenous portions of the tail, tips of the ears, tongue and other affected parts of the body, dropped off, although wounds healed in the course of time. The genus Fusarium contains important producing species that have been implicated in several animal.diseases including Degnala disease hemorrhagic,estrogenic, emetic feed refusal syndromes ,fescue foot moldy sweet potato toxicosis,been hulls poisoning,and Equine leukoencephalomalacia.Many of these mycotoxin producing species have been also implicated in several human disease such as alimentary toxic aleukia,urov or Kashin-Beck disease,Akakabi-byo or scabby grain intoxication and esophageal cancer.(www.mold-help.org). Raising buffaloes and cattle in Pakistan, Nepal and India is one way of augmenting the financial resources of village people.These animals are mainly raised on rice and wheat straw which are of poor nutritional quality .Rice and wheat plant when infested by fungus Fusarium causes severe health problem many researcher in this regard has documented. Infections that may be debilitating in nature can cause significant economic losses as a result ofDecreased production confounded by reduced growth rate, mortality and poor animal performance. An effort to improve animal production in the village calls for suitable control or therapeutic measures of any disease. Experimental evaluation of the immunologic properties and treatment of F. graminearum infections should be considered. Deg Nala disease, which causes necrosis and gangrene of the dependent parts in cattle and buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis L.) is known to exist in Indo-Pakistan, as a number of cases were recorded stemming from a monsoon rainwater stream in the area of Murdike (Sheikhpura District), near Nala Deg in Pakistan (Shirlaw, 1939). A widespread occurrence of the disease has been reported from rice growing areas of Indo-Pakistan (Irfan, 1971; Kalra et al., 1972; Irfan and Maqbool, 1986) which caused considerable economic losses.

Materials and methods

Prevalence. The outbreaks of Deg Nala disease occurring during 1998 through 1999 were recorded in 5 villages of Khajura,Bankatwa, Mahadevpuri, Betahani, Kohalpur. The observation period during each year was from November to February. Isolation of fungi. Samples of infested rice straw, containing multiple dark specks, were collected from areas where natural outbreaks of Deg Nala disase had been recorded. Isolation of fungi on potato dextrose agar, yeast soluble starch agar, Czapek's Dox agar, Sabouraud's agar and liquid media proceeded as per a published procedure (Irfan and Maqbool, 1986). Therapeutic trials. A total of 80 randomly selected naturally clinically affected animals were further divided in to 4 groups of 20 animals each. The following therapeutic regimens were tried.Treatment A: 2% of Anti-Degnala liquor 2ml orally for 10days per animal or 5% of Anti-Degnala liquor 5-10 ml S/C or I/M 4 time alternate day in a week Treatment B. A penta-sulphate mixture (Ferrous sulphate 166 g, copper sulphate 24 g, zinc sulphate 75 g, cobalt sulphate 15 g and magnesium sulphate 100 g ) at the rate of 60 g (1st day) orally, followed by 30 g daily for 10 days with a sufficient quantity of linseed and molasses. Treatment C. A single intramuscular injection of terramycin-LA (Pfizer; 200 mg oxytetracycline/ml) 20 mg/kg b.w. local treatment of lesions by use of Herbal ointment. Treatment D. Only local treatment of lesions as in the treatment at D. Experimental feeding on copper sulfate treated rice straw. Trials were conducted on 40 animals. For this purpose, a 2% solution of copper sulfate of water per 20 kg rice straw) was sprinkled on the rice straw containing multiple dark species daily for 14 days, beginning from the first week of December. Each of the 40 animals was fed 8-10 kg treated rice straw and 10-15 kg of green fodder daily for one month, depending upon the age and weight of the animals. The animals were examined daily and were kept under observation for a period of one-and-a-half months. Field ObservationPrevalence. During a three-year study period a total of 5,640 cases were recorded in 5 villages of the Banke district. Of these4470 were buffaloes and 170 were cattle. Of the buffaloes which showed lesions, 1,545 were young, ,925 adult; 955 were males and 581 were females. Of the 170 cattle which showed lesions, 139 were young, 31 adult; 134 were males and 36 were females. The disease was prevalent from November to February. The lesions developed only in cattle and buffaloes fed continuously on rice straw containing multiple dark specks. Haematological Observation pre and post treatmentHematological findings of samples from clinical case pretreatment:

Species of animal

RBC WBC PCV% HB

OX 4*10 millionmmc 7.2*10 mm3 23 7.6C.calf 4.6*10 millionmmc 8.2*10 mm3 28 9.3C.calf 4*10 millionmmc 7.8*10 mm3 24 8C.calf 4.5*10 millionmmc 8.2*10 mm3 27 9Normal 5*10millionmmc 4-12*10mm3 28-42 8.5

-13.5

Hematological findings of samples from clinical case post treatment:

Species of animal

RBC WBC PCV% HB

Ox 7.2*10 millionmmc 4.6*10mm3 28 9.3Ox 8.5*10 millionmmc 5*10mm3 30 10Calf 9*10 millionmmc 5.5*10mm3 33 11Calf 8.6*10 millionmmc 5*10mm3 30 10Ox 7.9*10 millionmmc 4.8*10mm3 29 9.6B.bull 9.5*10 millionmmc 6*10mm3 36 12

Fungal Isolation from straw:Fungi isolated from infested rice straw. Different species of fungi were isolated from the samples of rice straw, the most frequently recorded were: Aspergillus spp,and Penicillium spp.

Therapeutic trials. The highest cure rate (90%) was observed with treatment A, followed by treatment B (70%). Treatments C and D (ointment alone andAntibiotic) both had an identical cure rate of 60%.

Control measures. No lesions of Deg Nala disease occurred in animals fed on Copper sulfate treated rice straw.

Discussion

The disease is strongly associated with the feeding of rice straw containing multiple dark specks. This observation is concurs with the findings of earlier researchers (Irfan and Maqbool, 1986) who reported that fungal infested straw and fungal mats of various species in different combinations, when mixed with fresh non-infested rice straw, produced the disease. Saprophytic fungi infesting rice straw produce mycotoxins possessing vasoconstriction, which produces the lesions of the disease (Irfan et al., 1984). The greater severity of the disease in buffaloes as compared to that in cows may partly be due to the high susceptibility of this species. Therapeutic trials with 2% and 5% of Anti Degnala Liquor parantally and orrally oran antidote a penta-sulphate mixture) given orally, and a application of herbal antiseptic ointment applied locally on the lesions effected the highest percentage (90%) cure rate. This cure rate was in a broad agreement with the findings of Schoental (1980) who reported a cure rate of 80% with a penta-sulphate mixture. Secondary bacterial infections of the lesions were at least partially responsible for the severity of the disease. To address this complicating factor, long-acting Terramycin was injected parenterally, together with a local application of the vasodilating agent. This regimen (i.e., treatment B) effected a cure in 70% of treated animals. In treating gangrene and necrosis of the extremities (as in the case of Deg Nala disease) vasodilating agents have a beneficial role (Blood and Radostits, 1989References

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