title: Autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) in commercial sheep.
abstract: We describe a form of the autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) in commercial sheep, linked to the repetitive inoculation of aluminum-containing adjuvants through vaccination. The syndrome shows an acute phase that affects less than 0.5% of animals in a given herd, it appears 2-6 days after an adjuvant-containing inoculation and it is characterized by an acute neurological episode with low response to external stimuli and acute meningoencephalitis, most animals apparently recovering afterward. The chronic phase is seen in a higher proportion of flocks, it can follow the acute phase, and it is triggered by external stimuli, mostly low temperatures. The chronic phase begins with an excitatory phase, followed by weakness, extreme cachexia, tetraplegia and death. Gross lesions are related to a cachectic process with muscular atrophy, and microscopic lesions are mostly linked to a neurodegenerative process in both dorsal and ventral column of the gray matter of the spinal cord. Experimental reproduction of ovine ASIA in a small group of repeatedly vaccinated animals was successful. Detection of Al(III) in tissues indicated the presence of aluminum in the nervous tissue of experimental animals. The present report is the first description of a new sheep syndrome (ovine ASIA syndrome) linked to multiple, repetitive vaccination and that can have devastating consequences as it happened after the compulsory vaccination against bluetongue in 2008. The ovine ASIA syndrome can be used as a model of other similar diseases affecting both human and animals. A major research effort is needed in order to understand its complex pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Pathology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Zaragoza, 177 Miguel Servet street, 50013, Saragossa, Spain. Lluis.Lujan@unizar.es
authors.forename: Lluís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luján
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez
authors.forename: Eider
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: Neila
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Álvarez
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gimeno
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pinczowski
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Irusta
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Santamaría
authors.forename: Nerea
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Insausti
authors.forename: Yerzol
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Figueras
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Cuartielles
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vila
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fantova
authors.forename: José Luis Gracia
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chapullé
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000535:Aluminum / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000187:drug effects; D001819:Bluetongue / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001820:Bluetongue virus / Q000276:immunology*; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D002100:Cachexia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary; D012756:Sheep / Q000276:immunology*; D013030:Spain; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology; D013577:Syndrome; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D014765:Viral Vaccines; D000535:Aluminum