title: A nervous disorder in cattle, caused by the plants Ficus ingens var. ingens and Ficus cordata subsp. salicifolia.
abstract: Two outbreaks of neurotoxicoses are reported in cattle browsing on the leaves of Ficus spp. In the first outbreak, three animals died and one became ill. A sheep developed severe nervous signs, including tetanic spasms, when dosed with the leaves of Ficus ingens var. ingens from the toxic camp where the cattle had died. The second outbreak resulted in the death of 12 heifers within 48 h of ingestion of the leaves of F. cordata subsp. salicifolia. Clinical signs included hyperaesthesia, ataxia, muscle tremors and padding motions while in lateral recumbency. Similar signs were reproduced by drenching the incriminated leaves to a steer. The sheep dosed with F. ingens var. ingens and two cattle, one of which had died during the second outbreak and the steer drenched with F. cordata subsp. salicifolia, were necropsied. Light microscopical examination consistently revealed oedema of the central nervous system. In the steer, focal demyelination was evident in localized areas of the brain and spinal cord. Liver lesions ranged from mild degeneration to focal disseminated necrosis of hepatocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Production Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Medical University of Southern Africa, Medunsa, South Africa.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Myburgh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: van der Lugt
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Kellerman
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Cornelius
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000473:pathology; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014197:Trees