Evolution of cattle intoxications in southern Rio Grande do Sul: Spatial distribution and trends over 42 years

Scheid, Haide Valeska; Ribeiro, Luiza S.; Venâncio, Fabiano R.; Bohm, Bianca C.; Engelmann, Thais M.; Brum, Fabio Raphael P.; Sallis, Eliza Simone V.; Schild, Ana Lucia

doi:10.1590/1678-5150-PVB-7395

ABSTRACT:

Several toxic diseases cause mortality in cattle in southern Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The aim of this study was to carry out a comparative analysis to determine the evolution of the main intoxications that occurred in cattle in southern Rio Grande do Sul from 1979 to 1999 and from 2000 to 2020. The spatial distribution and trend of occurrence of these intoxications over the 42 years in southern Rio Grande do Sul were determined using data from the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the Federal University of Pelotas (LRD-UFPel), which will make it possible to predict their occurrence in the coming years. From January 1979 to December 1999, 3,753 bovine materials were received for diagnosis at LRD-UFPel, and 3,653 cases were received from 2000 to 2020. Of the total number of materials received, 394 were diagnosed as intoxications, with 140 cases from 1979 to 1999 and 252 cases from 2000 to 2020. Out of 140 cases diagnosed in the first 21 years of operation of the LRD-UFPel, 113 (80.7%) were poisoning by plants, 22 (15.7%) by fungi outbreaks, and five (3.57%) by chemical substances. From 2000 to 2020, of the 252 diagnosed outbreaks 224 (88.8%) were caused by toxic plants, 10 (3.96%) by fungi, 12 (4.76%) by chemical substances, and six (2.38%) by insects. In the temporal trend analysis, a significant linear trend was observed with values of p=0.03 and an annual percentage change (APC) of 2.5 for the increase in the number of diagnoses of poisoning in general over the 42 years of the study. When analyzing the temporal trend of poisoning by Senecio spp., there was an increase in the occurrence of the diagnosis, with different characteristics and inflection points over time, with an annual growth rate of 9% in diagnoses during the first 21 years. There was a decrease in the occurrence of poisoning by Solanum fastigiatum, Echium plantagineum, and Claviceps paspali. Furthermore, poisoning by Ramaria flavo-brunnescens and Baccharis coridifolia maintained a similar percentage throughout the study period. It is concluded that toxic diseases will likely remain important causes of cattle death in the region.

INDEX TERMS:
Toxic diseases; epidemiology; spatial analysis; temporal trend analysis; cattle

[1] *Corresponding author: alschild@terra.com.br

Diagnostic 1979-1999		No. cases/ Outbreaks	%	Age	Time of the year	Morbidity %	Mortality %	Lethality %
Plant poisoning		113	80.7
	Senecio spp.	79	56.4	1.5-9 years	All year	0.4-60	0.05-57.1	5.3-100
	Solanum spp.	9	6.42	1-12 years	May-Dec	7.1-13.3	0.03-0.04	50-100
	Echium spp.	7	5.0	3 months-3 years	Apr-Oct	0.5-39.1	0.5-29.7	76-100
	Amaranthus spp.	5	3.57	3 months-4.5 years	Apr-Jun	1.5-37.9	1.1-22.3	20-75
	Baccharis coridifolia	4	2,85	3 months-2.5 years	Mar-Sep	4.7-35.3	4.6-29.4	75-100
	Xanthium spp.	3	2.14	6 months-3 years	Agu-Sep	3.1-80.6	3.1-80.6	100
	Cestrum parqui	2	1.42	6 months-3 years	Jan-Aug	15-81.8	15-27.3	33.3-100
	Ammi majus	1	0.7	Adults	Mar	100	NI	NI
	Prunus sellowii	1	0.7	Adults	Jun	NI	NI	NI
	Enterolobium contortisiliquum	1	0.7	3 years	Jun	42.8	NI	NI
	Sorghum	1	0.7	2-3 years	Jun	13.3	10	75
Fungal/fungal toxins poisoning		22	15.7
	Claviceps paspali	20	14.28	6 months-4 years	Mar-May	0.3-33.3	0.1-6.2	10-100
	Ramaria flavo-brunnescens	2	1.42	Adults	May	10.6-26.6	1.2-6.7	11.8-25
Chemical substances poisoning		5	3.57
	Urea	2	1.42	1 month-3 years	Aug-Sep	0.5	0.5	100
	Carbolineum	1	0.7	Adults	Aug	2.7	0.7	25
	Organophosphates	1	0.7	1 year	Aug	90.5	90.5	100
	Sodium chloride	1	0.7	7 years	Dec	100	100	100
TOTAL		140	100

Diagnostic 2000-2020		No. cases/ Outbreaks	%	Age	Time of the year	Morbidity %	Mortality %	Lethality %
Plant poisoning		224	88.88
	Senecio spp.	202	80.15	3 months-10 years	All year	0.1-100	0.1-100	16.6-100
	Baccharis coridifolia	8	3.17	6 months-7 years	Nov-Jun	0.4-100	0.4-100	56.52-100
	Xanthium spp.	6	2.38	6 months-5 years	Aug-Jan	1.16-57.14	1.16-57.14	100
	Amaranthus spp.	5	1.98	1.5-8 years	Jan-May	0.54-6.92	0.54-11.29	66.66-100
	Prunus sellowii	1	0.39	4.5 years	May	16.66	16.66	100
	Solanum fastigiatum	1	0.39	4 years	Jun	18	8	44.44
	Dodonaea viscosa	1	0.39	4 years	Apr	18.7	18.7	100
Fungal/fungal toxins poisoning		10	3.96
	Claviceps paspali	3	1.19	6-9 months	Apr-Jun	1.6-33.33	1.6-26.66	50-100
	Aflatoxins	3	1.19	1-4anos	Jun-Sep	2.94-8.5	0.5-11.76	5.88-100
	Ramaria flavo-brunnescens	3	1.19	1.5 years	May	2.58	34.83	100
	Diplodia maydis	1	0.39	6 years	Jun	25	25	100
Chemical substances poisoning		12	4.76
	Organophosphates	7	2.77	7 days-5 years	Oct-Jan	1.4-100	0.7-86.65	16-100
	Ionophore antibiotics	3	1.19	2-3 years	May-Sep	14-100	4.0-14	4-100
	Abamectin	1	0.39	3-4 months	May	6	6	100
	Sodium chloride	1	0.39	3 years	Jun	0.9	0.9	100
Insect poisoning		6	2.38
	Perreyia flavipes	6	2.38	1-3 years	Jul-Sep	0.8-3.70	0.8-38.70	100
TOTAL		252	100

Brasil

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Evolution of cattle intoxications in southern Rio Grande do Sul: Spatial distribution and trends over 42 years

Evolução das enfermidades tóxicas em bovinos na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul: distribuição espacial e tendência em 42 anos

ABSTRACT: