Chronic poisoning by Amaranthus spinosus in cattle in the semiarid region of Paraiba, Brazil/Intoxicacao cronica por Amaranthus spinosus em bovino no semiarido paraibano

• Published in: Ciência rural Vol. 44; no. 5; p. 861
• Main Authors: de Melo, Diego Barreto, Simoes, Sara Vilar Dantas, Dantas, Antonio Flavio Medeiros, Galiza, Glauco Jose Nogueira, Matos, Rodrigo Antonio Torres, Medeiros, Rosane Maria Trindade, Correa, Franklin Riet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Maria 01.05.2014
• Subjects: Anemia; Cattle; Diarrhea; Poisoning
• ISSN: 0103-8478; 1678-4596

A case of poisoning by Amaranthus spinosus is reported in the state of Paraiba, northeastern Brazil. The main clinical signs were catarrhal nasal discharge, edema of the submandibular region and lower neck and diarrhea. There were anemia, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum concentrations of urea and creatinine. After a clinical manifestation period of 32 days the animal was euthanized in extremis. The kidneys were diffusely pale and slightly enlarged. Histologically, tubular toxic nephrosis with accentuated tubular regeneration was observed. The diagnosis of A. spinosus poisoning has to be included in the differential diagnosis off poisoning by Combretum glaucocarpum (sin=Thiloa glaucocarpa), which was previously the only plant causing nephrosis in cattle in the northeastern Brazilian region. Key words: poisonous plants, toxic nephrosis, Amaranthaceae, Brazilian semiarid region. Descreve-se um caso de intoxicacao por Amaranthus spinosus em bovino no estado da Paraiba, Brasil. Os principais sinais clinicos foram secrecao nasal catarral, edema submandibular e de barb ela e di arreia de odor fetido. Havia anemia, hipoproteinemia, hipoalbuminemia e concentracoes sericas de ureia e creatinina aumentadas. Na necropsia, os rins estavam difusamente palidos (superficies natural e de corte) e levemente aumentados de volume. Histologicamente, observouse nefrose tubular toxica com acentuada regeneracao epitelial tubular. O diagnostico de intoxicacao por A. spinosus deve ser incluido no diagnostico differencial da intoxicacao por Combretum glaucocarpum (sin=Thiloa glaucocarpa) que, ate o presente momento, era a unica planta descrita como nefrotoxica na regiao Nordeste do Brasil. Palavras-chave: plantas toxicas, nefrose toxica, Amaranthaceae, regiao semiarida do Brasil.