ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (9): 1481-1486.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2013.09.021

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Clinicopathological Studies on Facial Eczema Outbreak in Grazing Sheep in Northern Slope of Tianshan Mountain

LIU Liang-bo1, HAN Yu-xia1, SUN Huan-lin1, LIU Jian-xin1, YANG Yi2 , WANG Jian-hua3, PU Wan-xi4, QI Ya-yin1, YAN Gen-qiang1*   

  1. (1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832000, China; 2. Xinjiang Western Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd., Shihezi 832000, China; 3. The XPCC., Agriculture Eighth Division 143 Corps, Shihezi 832000, China; 4. The XPCC., Agriculture 8th Division, Ziniquan, Sheep & Goat Breeding Farm, Shihezi 832000, China)
  • Received:2013-01-08 Online:2013-09-23 Published:2013-09-23

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Abstract:

To understand the pathogenesis of facial eczema of grazing sheep, the clinical disease process, pathological anatomy and histology, serum liver function parameters of facial eczema of grazing sheep in northern slope of Tianshan Mountain were investigated and determined. The fungal types isolated from 100 sick sheep, 100 healthy sheep and 5 dead lambs were analyzed by statistics. The results indicated that onset of the diseases was limited on certain areas only, and the disease most likely attacked young fine-wool sheep with the age less than 6 months old. The clinical manifestations were characterized by inflammational edema in face (ears and eyelids) and mandibular area. Postmortem examination of dead lambs showed enlargement of liver with yellow white patchs of necrotic lesion and tuberous sclerosis and fibrosis on section. Histologic examination of liver showed extravasated blood, severe lesion of liver cells and bile duct, and fatty degeneration. GGT levels of the disease animals were very high and varying from 94.93 to 260.78 U·L-1, but the GGT in normal was 16.47- 61.59 U·L-1. While the activities of ALT and total bilirubin were elevated and AST was normal in affected sheep. ALT and total bilirubin level was higher than normal (P<0.01), and the AST activity of sick sheep and lamb was not significantly different with healthy sheep (P>0.05). 205 experimental sheep had fungal infections; Pithomyces, Alternaria, Fusarium and Aspergillus isolated from diseased goats had higher separation rate than that of the others. The Pithomyces separation rate was highest. Others such as yeast, Rhizopus and Mucor were also separated in all sheep, but the separation rates were low. The results revealed that the facial eczema was hepatogenic light allergic eczema caused by hepatic dysfunction and hepatonecrosis in grazing sheep in the area, and the pathogen may be Pithomyces, Alternaria, Fusarium and Aspergillus.

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