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Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep

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A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Small Ruminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2020) | Viewed by 52629

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Delia Lacasta

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
Interests: pathology; diseases; sheep health management
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Dear Colleagues,

Wasting diseases in sheep produce significant economic losses because they limit production and cause early culling of the animals. In addition, these disorders have an important impact on animal welfare.

There are many disorders that lead to “thin ewe syndrome” and they all have a chronic and insidious course. The differential diagnosis of these pathologies is complex and, for that reason, it is necessary to have in-depth knowledge of each pathology in order to be able to implement therapeutic and preventive measures in the flocks.

Although chronic wasting diseases in sheep may be associated with management problems or nutritional deficiencies, there are several infectious diseases that occur with this symptomatology, such as Maedi-visna, paratuberculosis, caseous lymphadenitis, scrapie, or respiratory tumors from ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma or enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma, most of them widespread worldwide. Further, other toxic or nutritional diseases, mineral deficiencies, as well as oral disorders, can lead to chronic weight loss. Of course, the importance of parasitic diseases in the development of this syndrome cannot be ignored.

We invite original papers that offer new information about any disorders that lead to chronic emaciation syndrome in order to reduce economic losses associated with this disorder in sheep production.

Dr. Delia Lacasta
Guest Editor

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Keywords

sheep
wasting diseases
cachexia
loss of productivity
emaciation

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 2247 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Worldwide Prevalence of Small Ruminant Lentiviruses in Sheep: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Ricardo de Miguel, Marta Arrieta, Ana Rodríguez-Largo, Irache Echeverría, Raúl Resendiz, Estela Pérez, Héctor Ruiz, Marta Pérez, Damián de Andrés, Ramsés Reina, Ignacio de Blas and Lluís Luján

Animals 2021, 11(3), 784; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030784 - 11 Mar 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3550

Abstract

Small Ruminant Lentiviruses (SRLV) are highly prevalent retroviruses with significant genetic diversity and antigenic heterogeneity that cause a progressive wasting disease of sheep called Maedi-visna. This work provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of the last 40 years (1981–2020) of scientific publications on SRLV individual and flock prevalence. Fifty-eight publications and 314 studies were included. Most articles used a single diagnostic test to estimate prevalence (77.6%), whereas articles using three or more tests were scarce (6.9%). Serological tests are more frequently used than direct methods and ELISA has progressively replaced AGID over the last decades. SRLV infection in sheep is widespread across the world, with Europe showing the highest individual prevalence (40.9%) and being the geographical area in which most studies have been performed. Africa, Asia, and North America show values between 16.7% to 21.8% at the individual level. South and Central America show the lowest individual SRLV prevalence (1.7%). There was a strong positive correlation between individual and flock prevalence (ρ = 0.728; p ≤ 0.001). Despite the global importance of small ruminants, the coverage of knowledge on SRLV prevalence is patchy and inconsistent. There is a lack of a gold standard method and a defined sampling strategy among countries and continents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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18 pages, 2053 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Growth Performance and Clinicopathological Analyses in Lambs Repetitively Inoculated with Aluminum-Hydroxide Containing Vaccines or Aluminum-Hydroxide Only

by Ricardo de Miguel, Javier Asín, Ana Rodríguez-Largo, Irache Echeverría, Delia Lacasta, Pedro Pinczowski, Marina Gimeno, Jéssica Molín, Antonio Fernández, Ignacio de Blas, Damián de Andrés, Marta Pérez, Ramsés Reina and Lluís Luján

Animals 2021, 11(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010146 - 11 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2365

Abstract

Aluminum (Al) hydroxide is an effective adjuvant used in sheep vaccines. However, Al-adjuvants have been implicated as potential contributors to a severe wasting syndrome in sheep—the so-called ovine autoimmune-inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome). This work aimed to characterize the effects of the repetitive injection of Al-hydroxide containing products in lambs. Four flocks (Flocks 1–4; n = 21 each) kept under different conditions were studied. Three groups of seven lambs (Vaccine, Adjuvant-only, and Control) were established in each flock. Mild differences in average daily gain and fattening index were observed, indicating a reduced growth performance in Vaccine groups, likely related to short-term episodes of pyrexia and decreased daily intake. Clinical and hematological parameters remained within normal limits. Histology showed no significant differences between groups, although there was a tendency to present a higher frequency of hyperchromatic, shrunken neurons in the lumbar spinal cord in the Adjuvant-only group. Although Al-hydroxide was linked to granulomas at the injection site and behavioral changes in sheep, the results of the present experimental work indicate that injected Al-hydroxide is not enough to fully reproduce the wasting presentation of the ASIA syndrome. Other factors such as sex, breed, age, production system, diet or climate conditions could play a role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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13 pages, 810 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relevance of Caseous Lymphadenitis as a Cause of Culling in Adult Sheep

by Héctor Ruiz, Luis Miguel Ferrer, Juan José Ramos, Cristina Baselga, Oihane Alzuguren, María Teresa Tejedor, Ricardo de Miguel and Delia Lacasta

Animals 2020, 10(11), 1962; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10111962 - 24 Oct 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4536

Abstract

Four hundred and ninety-eight culled sheep received at the Ruminant Clinical Service of the Veterinary Faculty of Zaragoza, Spain, were examined in life and after humanitarian sacrifice in order to reach the final diagnosis of the cause of culling and to evaluate the presence of caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) lesions. One hundred and forty-seven of the 498 studied animals (29.52%) showed CLA compatible lesions that were subsequently confirmed by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis isolation. One hundred and seven of the 147 CLA affected animals presenting the visceral clinical form of the disease (72.79%), while only 32 animals were affected by the superficial form (21.77%). In addition, eight animals were found to be affected in both the visceral and the superficial presentations (5.44%). Eighty-four of the 147 CLA-affected animals (57.14%) did not show any concurrent disease, considering, in this case, CLA the main cause of culling (84/498: 16.87%). In the superficial presentation, the retropharyngeal lymph node, as a sole lesion, was the most frequently affected (13/32: 40.63%). Further, in the visceral form of the disease, 85.06% of the affected animals had the lesions located in the respiratory system (91/107: 85.06%). CLA was revealed as an important cause of culling in sheep production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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11 pages, 1216 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Management of Risk Factors Associated with Chronic Oral Lesions in Sheep

by Marta Ruiz de Arcaute, Delia Lacasta, José María González, Luis Miguel Ferrer, Miren Ortega, Héctor Ruiz, José Antonio Ventura and Juan José Ramos

Animals 2020, 10(9), 1529; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091529 - 30 Aug 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2152

Abstract

Oral disorders constitute a significant cause of weight loss in sheep. In a study of disorders of the oral cavity of 36,033 sheep from 60 meat sheep flocks in Spain, we looked for management risk factors associated with chronic oral lesions. Mandibular and maxillary disorders were assessed as an external manifestation of oral lesions by palpation, searching for tissue swellings, fistulae, or open wounds. The prevalence of flocks containing sheep with jaw disorders was 98.3%, with an average individual prevalence of 5.5%. The majority of lesions were located in in the mid-region of the mandible, and the most relevant risk factor was increasing age. Use of acidic diets based on silage and inclusion of hard foods, such as maize straw or hay, was associated with the occurrence of jaw inflammation. It was concluded that hard diets containing plant material with edges and sharp areas, plus acidic foods including silage, are more likely to cause lesions of the gingiva, enabling entry of pathogens to the oral mucosa that eventually establish locally in bony tissues, usually as mandibular osteomyelitis. It was also observed that mineral supplementation appears to prevent the occurrence of these lesions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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Review

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20 pages, 1161 KiB

Open AccessReview

Classical and Atypical Scrapie in Sheep and Goats. Review on the Etiology, Genetic Factors, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Control Measures of Both Diseases

by Cristina Acín, Rosa Bolea, Marta Monzón, Eva Monleón, Bernardino Moreno, Hicham Filali, Belén Marín, Diego Sola, Marina Betancor, Isabel M. Guijarro, Mirta García, Antonia Vargas and Juan José Badiola

Animals 2021, 11(3), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030691 - 04 Mar 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5176

Abstract

Prion diseases, such as scrapie, are neurodegenerative diseases with a fatal outcome, caused by a conformational change of the cellular prion protein (PrP^C), originating with the pathogenic form (PrP^Sc). Classical scrapie in small ruminants is the paradigm of prion diseases, as it was the first transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) described and is the most studied. It is necessary to understand the etiological properties, the relevance of the transmission pathways, the infectivity of the tissues, and how we can improve the detection of the prion protein to encourage detection of the disease. The aim of this review is to perform an overview of classical and atypical scrapie disease in sheep and goats, detailing those special issues of the disease, such as genetic factors, diagnostic procedures, and surveillance approaches carried out in the European Union with the objective of controlling the dissemination of scrapie disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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20 pages, 2196 KiB

Open AccessReview

Chronic Wasting Due to Liver and Rumen Flukes in Sheep

by Alexandra Kahl, Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Jürgen Krücken and Martin Ganter

Animals 2021, 11(2), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020549 - 19 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7735

Abstract

Grazing sheep and goats are constantly exposed to helminth infections in many parts of the world, including several trematode species that causes a range of clinical diseases. The clinical picture of flukes is dependent upon the organs in which they develop and the tissues they damage within the respective organs. Accordingly, infections with the common liver fluke Fasciola hepatica, which, as juvenile worm migrates through the liver parenchyma for several weeks, may be associated with hepatic disorders such as impairment of carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, followed by chronic wasting. In contrast, the lancet fluke Dicrocoelium dendriticum, which does not exhibit tissue migration and thus does not lead to major tissue damage and bleeding, also does not lead to significant clinical symptoms. Rumen flukes such as Cotylophoron daubneyi cause catarrhal inflammation during their migration through the intestinal and abomasal epithelium during its juvenile stages. Depending on the infection intensity this may result in a range of clinical symptoms including diarrhoea, inappetence or emaciation. In this review, we aim to provide an update on the current knowledge on flukes particularly concerning the clinical relevance of the most important fluke species in sheep. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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18 pages, 1637 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nutritional Wasting Disorders in Sheep

by Javier Asín, Gustavo A. Ramírez, Mauricio A. Navarro, Akinyi C. Nyaoke, Eileen E. Henderson, Fábio S. Mendonça, Jéssica Molín and Francisco A. Uzal

Animals 2021, 11(2), 501; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020501 - 15 Feb 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7305

Abstract

The different ovine production and breeding systems share the cornerstone of keeping a good body condition to ensure adequate productivity. Several infectious and parasitic disorders have detrimental effects on weight gains and may lead to emaciation. Flock health management procedures are aimed to prevent such conditions. Nutritional management is equally important to guarantee adequate body condition. Persistent bouts of low ruminal pH due to excess concentrate in the diet may lead to subacute ruminal acidosis. Pre-stomach motility disorders may also lead to ill-thrift and emaciation. An adequate mineral supplementation is key to prevent the effects of copper, selenium, and other micronutrients deprivation, which may include, among others, loss of condition. This review elaborates on the clinico-pathologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of some of these conditions, and highlights the necessity of considering them as contributors to states of wasting in sheep flocks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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18 pages, 3092 KiB

Open AccessReview

Neoplasia-Associated Wasting Diseases with Economic Relevance in the Sheep Industry

by Marcelo De las Heras, Marta Borobia and Aurora Ortín

Animals 2021, 11(2), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020381 - 03 Feb 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4305

Abstract

We review three neoplastic wasting diseases affecting sheep generally recorded under common production cycles and with epidemiological and economic relevance in sheep-rearing countries: small intestinal adenocarcinoma (SIA), ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA) and enzootic nasal adenocarcinoma (ENA). SIA is prevalent in Australia and New Zealand but present elsewhere in the world. This neoplasia is a tubular or signet-ring adenocarcinoma mainly located in the middle or distal term of the small intestine. Predisposing factors and aetiology are not known, but genetic factors or environmental carcinogens may be involved. OPA is a contagious lung cancer caused by jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) and has been reported in most sheep-rearing countries, resulting in significant economic losses. The disease is clinically characterized by a chronic respiratory process as a consequence of the development of lung adenocarcinoma. Diagnosis is based on the detection of JSRV in the tumour lesion by immunohistochemistry and PCR. In vivo diagnosis may be difficult, mainly in preclinical cases. ENA is a neoplasia of glands of the nasal mucosa and is associated with enzootic nasal tumour virus 1 (ENTV-1), which is similar to JSRV. ENA enzootically occurs in many countries of the world with the exception of Australia and New Zealand. The pathology associated with this neoplasia corresponds with a space occupying lesion histologically characterized as a low-grade adenocarcinoma. The combination of PCR and immunohistochemistry for diagnosis is advised. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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15 pages, 1612 KiB

Open AccessReview

Toxic Wasting Disorders in Sheep

by Jéssica Molín, Fábio S. Mendonça, Eileen E. Henderson, Akinyi C. Nyaoke, Gustavo A. Ramírez, Mauricio A. Navarro, Francisco A. Uzal and Javier Asín

Animals 2021, 11(1), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010229 - 18 Jan 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4041

Abstract

Infectious and parasitic agents have been frequently associated with debilitating and wasting conditions in sheep. The prevalence of these agents has probably undermined the role of toxic causes as contributors to such disorders. In addition, many of these intoxications frequently produce acute clinical disease with specific and characteristic lesions, thus a causal relationship with the toxic substance may be relatively easy to establish. However, persistent exposure to some of these organic or inorganic toxic substances may lead to emaciation, ill-thrift, and poor external aspect. The anti-nutritional factors and alkaloids of several plants, including pyrrolizidine alkaloids, among others, have also been associated with emaciation and/or poor general performance in sheep flocks. In this review, some of these disorders are discussed with an emphasis on clinical signs and lesions, relevant diagnostic aspects, and available therapeutic approaches. In most cases, demonstrating a history of exposure should be one of the most relevant aspects of the diagnostic approach, and removing the animals from the toxic source is the cornerstone of the majority of the treatment strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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12 pages, 291 KiB

Open AccessReview

Haemoparasites—Challenging and Wasting Infections in Small Ruminants: A Review

by Snorre Stuen

Animals 2020, 10(11), 2179; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10112179 - 22 Nov 2020

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5679

Abstract

Haemoparasites include bacteria, mycoplasma, protozoa and flagellates inhabiting the bloodstream of living hosts. These infections occur worldwide and are transmitted by vectors, especially ticks and tsetse flies. Geographical distribution varies due to movements of animals and vectors between geographical areas, and even between countries and continents. These changes may be caused by climate change, directly and indirectly, and have a huge effect on the epidemiology of these microbes. Active and ongoing surveillance is necessary to obtain reliable maps concerning the distribution of these infections in order to do proper risk assessment and efficient prophylactic treatment. Genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Mycoplasma, Babesia, Theileria and Trypanosoma include common haemoparasite species in small ruminants causing a variety of clinical manifestations from high fatality rates to more subclinical infections, depending on the species or strain involved. These infections may also cause ill-thift or long-lasting wasting conditions. Life-long infections are a common feature of these pathogens. The present review will focus on haemoparasites in small ruminants, especially related to challenging and wasting infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

8 pages, 223 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ovine Paratuberculosis Control in Australia Revisited

by Peter Windsor and Richard Whittington

Animals 2020, 10(9), 1623; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091623 - 10 Sep 2020

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2504

Abstract

OJD is no longer the serious animal health issue that it was for many Australian rural communities a decade and a half ago. Despite declining OJD prevalence as determined by abattoir surveillance, the disease continues to spread, with OJD extension programs required to continually address the misinformation promulgated by some disaffected producers as new areas have become affected. Improved regional and on-farm biosecurity, including the introduction of a risk-based trading system, may have contributed to improved attitudes to OJD control, although attitudinal differences between OJD endemic areas and where the disease is not well established remain. Declines in on-farm OJD prevalence are almost certainly attributable to the widespread uptake of vaccination programs, although encouraging the ongoing use of vaccination to prevent recrudescence and improved biosecurity when mortalities disappear, remains challenging. Vaccination has provided a robust strategy for managing OJD and contributed significantly to the health of Australian sheep and the lives of producers with affected properties. As vaccination offers a pathway to reduce the risk of MAP infection entering the human food chain from small ruminant products, it should be more widely adopted globally, accompanied by research efforts to improve efficacy and importantly, the safety of vaccination to both operators and livestock. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wasting Diseases Affecting Sheep)

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