Effects of low dose rates of sporidesmin given orally to sheep

AIM: To examine clinical and subclinical effects of sporidesmin administered orally to sheep at very low daily dose rates for periods of 3 to 48 days. METHODS: Two experiments were conducted. In Experiment A, sporidesmin-A was administered orally to groups of 16 sheep at daily dose rates of approximately 0.0042, 0.0083 and 0.0167 mg/kg bodyweight for 48 days. In Experiment B, the highest of these doses was administered orally for 3, 6, 12, 24 or 48 consecutive days. Parameters of production, clinical findings, organ weights and pathological findings were recorded. RESULTS: In Experiment A, severe liver lesions and photosensitisation were evident as early as 18 days after commencement of daily low-dose administration of sporidesmin, and were associated with significant bodyweight loss. Significant bodyweight loss also occurred in non-photosensitised sporidesmin-treated sheep. Bodyweight reductions were associated with reduced carcass weights and skin weights in treated animals. Sporidesmin administration was also associated with reduced bodyweight gains and pathological changes of the liver, kidney, hepatic lymph nodes, thymus, adrenal gland, heart and spleen. In Experiment B, only moderate changes occurred in a few sheep in the groups dosed with sporidesmin at 0.0167 mg/kg for 3 or 6 days, but major changes were frequently recorded in animals dosed at this rate for 12 days or longer. These comprised changes in the liver and other organs, and photosensitisation typical of the disease, facial eczema. Results are discussed in relation to animal welfare and economic issues associated with this disease. CONCLUSIONS: Sporidesmin caused significant clinical and sub-clinical disease and reduced animal production at relatively low daily dose rates. The effects of repeated daily low-dose administration of sporidesmin appear to be cumulative. There was considerable variation in susceptibility between individual animals. These results emphasise the considerable production losses and animal welfare effects associated with sporidesmin toxicity in sheep.