Clinical Observation of Deg Nala disease in buffaloes and cattle

in Banke District in Nepal a case study

Dr.Kedar Karki

ABSTRACT

The prevalence, etiology, chemotherapy and control of Deg Nala disease were studied. The
disease occurs in winter months when fungal infested rice straw is fed to cattle and buffaloes.
Buffaloes are more frequently affected than cattle and younger animals appear to be more
susceptible. The possibility of mycotoxin in causation of the disease is discussed. The most
frequently found fungi species recorded from rice straw were: Aspergillus spp Penicillium spp.
Therapeutic treatments with various drugs were carried out, with Anti degnala liquor giving the
highest cure rate followed by a mixture of Penta-sulphate. Feeding of 2% copper sulphate treated
straw was an effective prevention.

Key words: Deg Nala disease, etiology, prevalence, chemotherapy, buffalo, Bubalus bubalis

Introduction

Signs and lesions recorded in Degnala disease Severe cases lingered for 1 to 2 months, but in
others the wounds healed within a few weeks. The diseased animals were invariably weak.
Ulcerative wounds and gangrene developed on the limbs and other dependent parts of the body.
Almost all cases showed gangrene of the tail, which was shrivelled and cold to the touch.
Invariably, one or both ears showed signs of dry gangrene. In some cases the muzzle and even
the tip of the tongue became gangrenous and was shed. One or more hooves showed lesions in
varying stages of development. In some cases the affected feet and legs were swollen up to the
knee; hair was denuded and inflammatory changes set in. Later, wounds appeared on the
coronet, fetlock, pastern, knee and in the hock region. In very advanced cases the lower regions
of the feet become gangrenous. In some cases the hooves were shed and bones were exposed.
The gangrenous portions of the tail, tips of the ears, tongue and other affected parts of the body,
dropped off, although wounds healed in the course of time. The genus Fusarium contains
important producing species that have been implicated in several animal.diseases including
Degnala disease hemorrhagic,estrogenic, emetic feed refusal syndromes ,fescue foot moldy
sweet potato toxicosis,been hulls poisoning,and Equine leukoencephalomalacia.Many of these
mycotoxin producing species have been also implicated in several human disease such as
alimentary toxic aleukia,urov or Kashin-Beck disease,Akakabi-byo or scabby grain intoxication
and esophageal cancer.(www.mold-help.org). Raising buffaloes and cattle in Pakistan, Nepal and
India is one way of augmenting the financial resources of village people.These animals are
mainly raised on rice and wheat straw which are of poor nutritional quality .Rice and wheat plant
when infested by fungus Fusarium causes severe health problem many researcher in this regard
has documented. Infections that may be debilitating in nature can cause significant economic
losses as a result ofDecreased production confounded by reduced growth rate, mortality and
poor animal performance. An effort to improve animal production in the village calls for suitable
control or therapeutic measures of any disease. Experimental evaluation of the immunologic
properties and treatment of F. graminearum infections should be considered. Deg Nala disease,
which causes necrosis and gangrene of the dependent parts in cattle and buffaloes (Bubalus
bubalis L.) is known to exist in Indo-Pakistan, as a number of cases were recorded stemming
from a monsoon rainwater stream in the area of Murdike (Sheikhpura District), near Nala Deg in
Pakistan (Shirlaw, 1939). A widespread occurrence of the disease has been reported from rice
growing areas of Indo-Pakistan (Irfan, 1971; Kalra et al., 1972; Irfan and Maqbool, 1986) which
caused considerable economic losses.

Materials and methods

Prevalence. The outbreaks of Deg Nala disease occurring during 1998 through 1999 were
recorded in 5 villages of Khajura,Bankatwa, Mahadevpuri, Betahani, Kohalpur. The observation
period during each year was from November to February. Isolation of fungi. Samples of infested
rice straw, containing multiple dark specks, were collected from areas where natural outbreaks of
Deg Nala disase had been recorded. Isolation of fungi on potato dextrose agar, yeast soluble
starch agar, Czapek's Dox agar, Sabouraud's agar and liquid media proceeded as per a
published procedure (Irfan and Maqbool, 1986). Therapeutic trials. A total of 80 randomly
selected naturally clinically affected animals were further divided in to 4 groups of 20 animals
each. The following therapeutic regimens were tried.Treatment A: 2% of Anti-Degnala liquor 2ml
orally for 10days per animal or 5% of Anti-Degnala liquor 5-10 ml S/C or I/M 4 time alternate day
in a week Treatment B. A penta-sulphate mixture (Ferrous sulphate 166 g, copper sulphate 24 g,
zinc sulphate 75 g, cobalt sulphate 15 g and magnesium sulphate 100 g ) at the rate of 60 g (1st
day) orally, followed by 30 g daily for 10 days with a sufficient quantity of linseed and molasses.
Treatment C. A single intramuscular injection of terramycin-LA (Pfizer; 200 mg oxytetracycline/ml)
20 mg/kg b.w. local treatment of lesions by use of Herbal ointment. Treatment D. Only local
treatment of lesions as in the treatment at D. Experimental feeding on copper sulfate treated rice
straw. Trials were conducted on 40 animals. For this purpose, a 2% solution of copper sulfate of
water per 20 kg rice straw) was sprinkled on the rice straw containing multiple dark species daily
for 14 days, beginning from the first week of December. Each of the 40 animals was fed 8-10 kg
treated rice straw and 10-15 kg of green fodder daily for one month, depending upon the age and
weight of the animals. The animals were examined daily and were kept under observation for a
period of one-and-a-half months.
Field Observation
Prevalence. During a three-year study period a total of 5,640 cases were recorded in 5 villages
of the Banke district. Of these4470 were buffaloes and 170 were cattle. Of the buffaloes which
showed lesions, 1,545 were young, ,925 adult; 955 were males and 581 were females. Of the
170 cattle which showed lesions, 139 were young, 31 adult; 134 were males and 36 were
females. The disease was prevalent from November to February. The lesions developed only in
cattle and buffaloes fed continuously on rice straw containing multiple dark specks.
Haematological Observation pre and post treatment
Hematological findings of samples from clinical case pretreatment:
Species of RBC WBC PCV% HB
animal
OX 4*10 millionmmc 7.2*10 mm3 23 7.6
C.calf 4.6*10 millionmmc 8.2*10 mm3 28 9.3
C.calf 4*10 millionmmc 7.8*10 mm3 24 8
C.calf 4.5*10 millionmmc 8.2*10 mm3 27 9
Normal 5*10millionmmc 4-12*10mm3 28-42 8
.5-
13.
5

Hematological findings of samples from clinical case post treatment:

Species of RBC WBC PCV% HB

animal
Ox 7.2*10 millionmmc 4.6*10mm3 28 9.3
Ox 8.5*10 millionmmc 5*10mm3 30 10
Calf 9*10 millionmmc 5.5*10mm3 33 11
Calf 8.6*10 millionmmc 5*10mm3 30 10
Ox 7.9*10 millionmmc 4.8*10mm3 29 9.6
B.bull 9.5*10 millionmmc 6*10mm3 36 12
Fungal Isolation from straw:
Fungi isolated from infested rice straw. Different species of fungi were isolated from the samples
of rice straw, the most frequently recorded were: Aspergillus spp,and Penicillium spp.

Therapeutic trials. The highest cure rate (90%) was observed with treatment A, followed by
treatment B (70%). Treatments C and D (ointment alone andAntibiotic) both had an identical cure
rate of 60%.

Control measures. No lesions of Deg Nala disease occurred in animals fed on Copper sulfate
treated rice straw.

Discussion

The disease is strongly associated with the feeding of rice straw containing multiple dark specks.
This observation is concurs with the findings of earlier researchers (Irfan and Maqbool, 1986) who
reported that fungal infested straw and fungal mats of various species in different combinations,
when mixed with fresh non-infested rice straw, produced the disease. Saprophytic fungi infesting
rice straw produce mycotoxins possessing vasoconstriction, which produces the lesions of the
disease (Irfan et al., 1984). The greater severity of the disease in buffaloes as compared to that in
cows may partly be due to the high susceptibility of this species. Therapeutic trials with 2% and
5% of Anti Degnala Liquor parantally and orrally oran antidote a penta-sulphate mixture) given
orally, and a application of herbal antiseptic ointment applied locally on the lesions effected the
highest percentage (90%) cure rate. This cure rate was in a broad agreement with the findings of
Schoental (1980) who reported a cure rate of 80% with a penta-sulphate mixture. Secondary
bacterial infections of the lesions were at least partially responsible for the severity of the disease.
To address this complicating factor, long-acting Terramycin was injected parenterally, together
with a local application of the vasodilating agent. This regimen (i.e., treatment B) effected a cure
in 70% of treated animals. In treating gangrene and necrosis of the extremities (as in the case of
Deg Nala disease) vasodilating agents have a beneficial role (Blood and Radostits, 1989
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