title: Fatal onion (Allium cepa) toxicosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).
abstract: Toxicosis caused by the ingestion of onion (Allium cepa) by 5 water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) occurred in the district of Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The water buffalo died after ingestion of a large quantity of onion that had been left in the pasture. Clinical signs started 8 days postingestion and were characterized by pale mucous membranes, lethargy, and dark urine. At necropsy, pieces of onions were found in the rumen of 1 animal. The carcass smelled strongly of onion, and the kidneys and urine were dark brown. Microscopic renal lesions included tubular degeneration and necrosis with deposits of eosinophilic material in the cytoplasm of renal tubular epithelial cells and tubular lumina. These changes were consistent with hemoglobinuric nephrosis. Centrilobular coagulation necrosis was observed in the liver accompanied by hemorrhage and macrophages containing brown cytoplasmic pigment. A diagnosis of hemolytic anemia caused by onion toxicosis was based on the epidemiological data, clinical signs, macroscopic changes, and histological lesions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Patologia Animal, Centro de Ciências Agroveterinárias, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Av. Luis de Camões 2090, Lages, SC, Brasil, CEP 88520-000. a2ag@cav.udesc.br
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Borelli
authors.forename: Joelma
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lucioli
authors.forename: Fernando Henrique
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.forename: Patrícia Giovana
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hoepers
authors.forename: Juliano Fleck
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Roveda
authors.forename: Sandra Davi
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Traverso
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gava
mesh_terms: D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D002020:Buffaloes; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D019697:Onions; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000662:veterinary*