title: Aspergillus clavatus as the probable cause of a lethal mass neurotoxicosis in sheep.
abstract: Sprouted barley grains, the waste product of malt extract production, were incriminated as the cause of a lethal (96% mortality) neurotoxic syndrome in sheep fed the grains. Clinical manifestations, comprising tremors, lameness, abnormal gait, paralysis and death indicated a tremorgenic mycotoxicosis. Whilst 50% of the flock died within 17 days, mortality continued over more than 5 months. Pathological findings were limited to neuronal degeneration and necrosis in the midbrain. Germinating grains were shown to be contaminated with growth of Aspergillus clavatus.
authors.affiliation: Kimron Veterinary Institute, Bet-Dagon, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shlosberg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zadikov
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yakobson
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Varod
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elad
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rapoport
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Handji
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000506:poisoning*; D000818:Animals; D001228:Aspergillosis / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005516:Food Microbiology; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D001467:Hordeum; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000473:pathology; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000506:poisoning; D009336:Necrosis; D009410:Nerve Degeneration; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000506:poisoning; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins; D009498:Neurotoxins