title: Peripheral neuropathy of dietary riboflavin deficiency in racing pigeons.
abstract: An occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in nine 14- to 55-day-old racing pigeons was documented. The predominant clinical signs were diarrhea, and leg and wing paralysis. Grossly, there was discoloration and swelling of all the peripheral nerve trunks. Microscopic lesions comprising swelling, fragmentation and demyelination of myelin sheaths, and proliferation of Schwann cells, were seen in the peripheral nerves of all birds examined. These changes were associated with moderate to severe swelling, fragmentation, atrophy and loss of axons. The peripheral nerve lesions in these cases were similar to those of dietary riboflavin deficiency in chickens. An analysis of the diet given to the pigeons indicated that the riboflavin concentration was only 0.9 mg/kg feed.
authors.affiliation: Kamikawa Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Asahikawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Itakura
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D010856:Columbidae; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000473:pathology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000032:analysis; D012257:Riboflavin Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000662:veterinary*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D012256:Riboflavin