- Facial eczema
Facial eczema, FE, is a
disease that mainly affectsruminants such ascattle ,sheep ,deer ,goats and South Americancamelids (alpaca ,llamas ).It is caused by thefungus "Pithomyces chartarum" that under favorable conditions can rapidly disseminate in pastures. The fungus requires warm humid weather with night time temperatures of over 13°C (55°F) for several days, and litter at the bottom of the sward."Pithomyces chartarum" occurs worldwide but is a problem predominantly where farm animals are intensively grazed, especially in
New Zealand .Thespores of the fungus release themycotoxin Sporidesmin in thegastrointestinal tract , causing a blockage in thebile ducts that leads to injury of theliver .Bile ,chlorophyll and other waste products consequently build up in thebloodstream causing photo sensitivity of the skin especially that exposed to direct sunlight. This in turn causes severe skin irritation that the animal attempts to relieve by rubbing its head against available objects, resulting in peeling of the skin.The large family of fungi that produce mycotoxins, of which sporidesmin is one, live mainly on
ryegrass es and can cause significant problems in grazing animals. Sporidesmin can lower an animals immunity and affect total production in farm animals, and, when taken in larger quantities, can result in death.The clinical symptoms of FE are distressing: restlessness, frequent
urination , shaking, persistent rubbing of the head against objects (e.g. fences, trees etc), drooping and reddened ears, swollen eyes, and avoidance ofsunlight by seeking shade. Exposed areas of skin develop weepingdermatitis and scabs that can become infected and attractive toblow-fly causingmyiasis .External links
* [http://www.ceresfarm.co.nz/facial_eczema_booklet.pdfFacing Up To Facial Eczema - A Practical Guide For farmers] . Published by the New Zealand Sheep Council, 1999]
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