A lysosomal storage disease induced by Ipomoea carnea in goats in Mozambique.

A novel plant-induced lysosomal storage disease was observed in goats from a village in Mozambique. Affected animals were ataxic, with head tremors and nystagmus. Because of a lack of suitable feed, the animals consumed an exotic hedge plant growing in the village that was identified as Ipomoea carnea (shrubby morning glory, Convolvulaceae).

An ovine hepatotoxicosis caused by the plant Pteronia pallens (Asteraceae) L.f.

The hepatotoxicity of Pteronia pallens was demonstrated in 5 sheep which developed lesions that ranged from centrilobular necrosis to diffuse hepatocellular degeneration. Botanical, clinical and pathological data are given and the lesions are briefly compared with those caused by other hepatotoxic plants in South Africa.

An ovine hepatotoxicosis caused by the plant Hertia pallens (DC.) Kuntze (Asteraceae).

A field outbreak of Hertia pallens poisoning in sheep is described. The hepatotoxicity of the plant was experimentally demonstrated in 7 sheep which developed lesions that ranged from a diffuse degeneration to centrilobular necrosis. These lesions occasionally extended to the midzonal area of the lobules.

Pathology of a nervous disorder (pushing disease or "stootsiekte") in cattle caused by the plant Matricaria nigellifolia DC. (Asteraceae).

Brains from 10 bovine field cases of pushing disease, a nervous disorder caused by the plant, Matricaria nigellifolia, were examined by light microscopy. Moderate to marked encephalitis, characterized by predominantly perivascular microgliosis, perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates and reactive changes in astrocytes, was present in all the brains. The lesion was concentrated in the white matter throughout the forebrain and midbrain.

Photosensitivity in South Africa. III. Ovine hepatogenous photosensitivity caused by the plant Athanasia trifurcata L. (Asteraceae).

Hepatogenous photosensitivity was experimentally induced in 1 out of 4 sheep dosed with milled Athanasia trifurcata. This is an unpalatable aromatic shrub commonly found along the south-western and south-eastern Cape coast on overgrazed, recently burnt or disturbed veld, up to an altitude of 1 300m. The liver lesions ranged from a few small multifocal areas of necrosis in 1 animal to various zonal patterns of necrosis (centrizonal, midzonal and peripheral) in each of the other 3.

Blindness and encephalopathy caused by Helichrysum argyrosphaerum DC. (Compositae) in sheep and cattle.

An outbreak of amaurosis and paresis was observed amongst sheep, and occasionally cattle, which had been grazing on pastures consisting mainly of Helichrysum argyrosphaerum DC. A similar syndrome was produced by feeding the suspect plant to sheep, thereby providing proof if its toxicity. Although none of the sheep became blind and only one developed paralysis, typical sponly lesions were detected in the brains and optic fasciculi of all the experimental animals.