Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Canadian Veterinary Journal logoLink to The Canadian Veterinary Journal
. 1993 Mar;34(3):153–158.

Polioencephalomalacia in cattle consuming water with elevated sodium sulfate levels: A herd investigation

Heidi Hamlen, Edward Clark, Eugene Janzen
PMCID: PMC1686520  PMID: 17424182

Abstract

Polioencephalomalacia (PEM), hereafter used to refer to the specific lesion of cerebrocortical necrosis, developed in 11 of 110 mature cattle on pasture in central Saskatchewan. The primary water source contained a markedly elevated level of sodium sulfate (7200 ppm). The significant clinical findings of the herd investigation included depression, ataxia, cortical blindness, dysphagia, and death. Diagnosis of PEM was confirmed by histopathological evidence of cerebrocortical and subcortical necrosis with microvascular fibrinoid necrosis predominantly in the thalamic region of three affected cattle. The histopathology of sulfate-associated PEM observed in this herd appears to be unique and its features are presented and discussed. Mean levels for serum transketolase, copper, red blood cell transketolase activity, and thiamine (vitamin B1) in all exposed young (n = 100) and mature (n = 99) animals did not reveal evidence of deficiencies. Although the blood thiamine status of the seven surviving, affected animals was not evaluated before treatment with exogenous thiamine, 199 members of the herd had blood thiamine levels within the reference range at the time of the outbreak. The outbreak resolved after cattle were moved to a water source containing acceptable levels of sodium sulfate.

Full text

PDF
153

Images in this article

155Figure 1.
on p.155

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ADAMS O. R., GRINER L. A., JENSEN R. Polioencephalomalacia of cattle and sheep. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1956 Oct 1;129(7):311–321. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Beauchamp R. O., Jr, Bus J. S., Popp J. A., Boreiko C. J., Andjelkovich D. A. A critical review of the literature on hydrogen sulfide toxicity. Crit Rev Toxicol. 1984;13(1):25–97. doi: 10.3109/10408448409029321. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Christian R. G., Tryphonas L. Lead poisoning in cattle: brain lesions and hematologic changes. Am J Vet Res. 1971 Feb;32(2):203–216. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Cross-Canada disease report. Can Vet J. 1987 Nov;28(11):717–717. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dickie C. W., Berryman J. R. Polioencephalomalacia and photosensitization associated with Kochia scoparia consumption in range cattle. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1979 Sep 1;175(5):463–465. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Dickie C. W., Nelson R. J., Frazee D. G., Krugman L. D., Bronner E. Polioencephalomalacia in range cattle. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1979 Sep 1;175(5):460–462. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Gooneratne S. R., Olkowski A. A., Klemmer R. G., Kessler G. A., Christensen D. A. High sulfur related thiamine deficiency in cattle: A field study. Can Vet J. 1989 Feb;30(2):139–146. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gould D. H., McAllister M. M., Savage J. C., Hamar D. W. High sulfide concentrations in rumen fluid associated with nutritionally induced polioencephalomalacia in calves. Am J Vet Res. 1991 Jul;52(7):1164–1169. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hill J. H., Rammell C. G., Forbes S. Blood thiamine levels in normal cattle and sheep at pasture. N Z Vet J. 1988 Jun;36(2):49–50. doi: 10.1080/00480169.1988.35478. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lane V. M., Anderson B. C., Bulgin M. S. Polycythemia and cyanosis associated with hypoplastic main pulmonary segment in the bovine heart. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 1983 Aug 15;183(4):460–461. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. McGuirk S. M. Polioencephalomalacia. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract. 1987 Mar;3(1):107–117. doi: 10.1016/s0749-0720(15)31183-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Olkowski A. A., Gooneratne S. R. Microbiological methods of thiamine measurement in biological material. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 1992;62(1):34–42. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Wobeser G., Daoust P. Y., Hunt H. M. Polioencephalomalacia-like disease in pronghorns (Antilocapra americana). J Wildl Dis. 1983 Jul;19(3):248–252. doi: 10.7589/0090-3558-19.3.248. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Wobeser G., Runge W. Polioencephalomalacia in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Saskatchewan. Can Vet J. 1979 Nov;20(11):323–325. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Canadian Veterinary Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

RESOURCES