Thirteen cases of botulism in horses fed big bale silage

Ricketts, S. W.; Greet, T. R. C.; Glyn, P. J.; Ginnett, CD; McAllister, EP; McCAIG, J.; Skinner, PH; Webbon, P. M.; Frape, D. L.; Smith, Geoffrey R.; Murray, L. G.

doi:10.1111/j.2042-3306.1984.tb02004.x

Cited by 55 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 5 publications

(5 reference statements)

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“…24 Food-borne botulism in adult horses most commonly results from spoiled or moldy forage (hay, haylage, or silage) contaminated with C. botulinum type B, and several outbreaks have been reported. 11,22,33 Clostridium botulinum type C has been reported less frequently in adult horses, with forage contaminated by carrion implicated as the cause in most cases. 14 Based on known serotype prevalence in a geographic region, hypothesized route of exposure, and, potentially, on clinical signs, equine practitioners can make an educated guess as to the most likely serotype affecting a horse with suspected botulism.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Type A Botulism in Horses in the United States: A Review of the past Ten Years (1998–2008)

2010

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Abstract. The objective of the current retrospective study was to describe naturally occurring type A botulism in horses in the United States. In the past 10 years, the Botulism Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine has identified 3 isolated cases and 8 outbreaks of type A botulism in horses via samples positive for Clostridium botulinum type A toxin or spores using the mouse bioassay test. Additional information was obtained by review of submission forms and by telephone or email interviews. Almost all type A cases and outbreaks occurred in the western United States, with Oregon and Idaho overrepresented. Type A toxin was identified in only 1 outbreak; all other identified cases and outbreaks were positive for spores but not preformed toxin. Reported clinical signs included progressive muscle weakness, recumbency, decreased tail and/or tongue tone, dysphagia, respiratory distress, and death. Isolated cases involved foals #1 month of age; outbreaks involved horses $11 months. One hundred and nineteen horses were potentially exposed to the toxin source; 54 out of 119 showed signs of botulism, and 49 out of 54 affected horses were confirmed dead. The number of horses affected per outbreak ranged from 2 to 24. The source of infection was confirmed to be hay or silage in 6 out of 8 outbreaks and was unknown in 2 out of 8 outbreaks. The present report is the first description of outbreaks of type A botulism in horses and has important implications for prevention and treatment. Based on these findings, type A botulism should be considered in suspect cases of equine botulism in the western United States.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Type A Botulism in Horses in the United States: A Review of the past Ten Years (1998–2008)

2010

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“…22 Botulism has been reported in most mammals as well as birds and fish in the United States and worldwide. 1,3,5,6,11,12,[17][18][19] Serious outbreaks of type D botulism have occurred in beef cattle fed chicken litter in Australia 24 and Israel. 10 Type C botulism in cattle has also been associated with feeding ensiled chicken litter.…”

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confidence: 99%

Fatal Clostridium Botulinum Toxicosis in Eleven Holstein Cattle Fed Round Bale Barley Haylage

et al. 2000

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Abstract. Twenty-two lactating Holstein cattle in Tennessee had clinical signs of intoxication with preformed Clostridium botulinum toxin. These signs included weakness, paralysis of the tongue and chest muscles, abdominal breathing, and, in 11 of the 22 cows, death. Differential diagnoses included hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, carbohydrate overload, and several toxicoses including mycotoxin, lead, nitrate, organophosphate, atropine or atropine-like alkaloid, and botulism. A diagnosis of botulism by the ingestion of preformed C. botulinum type B toxin was made by eliminating these other diseases, by finding C. botulinum type B spores in 3 bales of round bale barley haylage fed to these cattle, and by isolating preformed type B toxin from 1 of the 3 bales. Confirmation of the toxin type was made by demonstrating mouse lethality by intraperitoneal injection of specimen extracts with neutralization by C. botulinum type B antitoxin. The haylage, harvested green and encased in black plastic bags to facilitate fermentation, was presumably contaminated by the botulinum toxin when fermentation failed to produce enough acid to lower the pH to 4.5, the pH below which C. botulinum growth is inhibited. Farmers and ranchers who use round hay balers to produce haylage should be alert to this potential problem.Botulism is caused by a neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum that can affect all mammals, fish, and birds. 22 The organism is a spore-forming, gram-positive anaerobic rod that elaborates a potent toxin. 4,23 Eight types of this exotoxin including A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F, and G have been identified. 26 Each type is unique in its geographic distribution and species susceptibility. Only types B, C, and D have been shown to produce disease in cattle. 6 The toxin acts at cholinergic nerve endings, 20 preventing the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is necessary for muscle contraction, often causing death by respiratory paralysis. 23 Clinical signs are variable, but often include weakness, paralysis of the tongue resulting in an inability to swallow, paralysis of the chest muscles, abdominal-type respiration, and death. 4 Intoxication occurs by 3 routes: ingestion of the preformed toxin, wound botulism, and intestinal toxicoinfectious botulism. 5 Ingestion of preformed toxin in decaying foods (animal or plant) is the most common form of exposure in humans and adult animals. 15,23 Type B organisms are common in the soil in the midAtlantic states. 22 Two forms of type B toxin occur, a proteolytic toxin, which has maximal toxicity, and a nonproteolytic toxin, which must be activated by trypsin to be fully activated. The proteolytic type B toxin occurs most commonly in the soil of the mid-Atlantic states and Kentucky. 22

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“…No presente trabalho, os equinos apresentaram letargia, paraparesia flácida, quedas frequentes evoluindo para decúbito e óbito, sem alteração do apetite. Sinais clínicos semelhantes foram descritos por Ricketts et al (1984), Kinde et al (1991) e Ostrowksi et al (2012, que relataram casos de botulismo na espécie.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Kinde et al (1991), Pabilonia (2003) e Ostrowski et al (2012), descreveram alguns achados necroscópicos proeminentes, como enterite catarral e hemorrágica e edemas intramusculares multifocais, principalmente na cabeça e pescoço, relatados em surtos de botulismo em equinos na Améri-ca do Norte; entretanto, se tratam de lesões inespecíficas e nem sempre relacionadas ao botulismo. Nos casos analisados, a apresentação clínica, associada com a ausência de lesões no exame anatomopatológico, corroboram com o descrito por outros autores (Ricketts et al 1984, Kelly et al 1984, Schoenbaum et al 2000.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

Surto de botulismo tipo C em equinos no Rio Grande do Sul

et al. 2017

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RESUMO: O botulismo nos animais domésticos é uma intoxicação fatal ocasionada pela ingestão da neurotoxina de Clostridium botulinum. Este trabalho descreve os aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos e laboratoriais de um surto de botulismo tipo C em equinos de uma propriedade rural no município de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul. Do total de 20 equinos, sete (35%) foram acometidos e morreram, e um eutanasiado após apresentar prognóstico desfavorável. Os cavalos, criados extensivamente, apresentaram sinais clínicos semelhantes, caracterizados por dificuldade de locomoção, letargia, paralisia flácida progressiva, tremores musculares, sudorese, ataxia e quedas frequentes. Quatro equinos foram necropsiados e não apresentaram lesões macroscópicas e microscópicas significativas. Amostras de encéfalo e medula espinhal foram enviados para realização do exame de imunofluorescência direta e foram negativas para o vírus da raiva. Fragmentos de fígado dos quatro equinos necropsiados, amostras de sedimento do solo e água suspeita de dois açudes da propriedade foram avaliados pelo exame direto para a verificação da presença de toxina botulínica e/ou esporos de Clostridium botulinum. No bioensaio em camundongos e soroneutralização pode-se detectar toxina botulínica tipo C em uma amostra de fígado, ao passo que as amostras de sedimento do solo e água foram negativas em todos os ensaios. Com base nos dados epidemiológicos, clínicos e laboratoriais pode-se estabelecer o diagnóstico etiológico de botulismo causado pela toxina botulínica do tipo C, e sugere-se, a água estagnada dos açudes como aprovável fonte da toxina.

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Thirteen cases of botulism in horses fed big bale silage

Cited by 55 publications

References 5 publications

Type A Botulism in Horses in the United States: A Review of the past Ten Years (1998–2008)

Type A Botulism in Horses in the United States: A Review of the past Ten Years (1998–2008)

Fatal Clostridium Botulinum Toxicosis in Eleven Holstein Cattle Fed Round Bale Barley Haylage

Surto de botulismo tipo C em equinos no Rio Grande do Sul

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