Degnala disease

A chronic gangrenous syndrome of

buffaloes, clinically similar to chronic
ergotism, has been reported since
1930's and named as Degnala
disease pertaining to the place of it's
first discovery i.e. "Deg" revulet ('nala)
area of district seikhpura in Pakistan.
 What are the causes ?

• Fusarium equiseti and F. amuioides

• Trichothecium
• Rhizopus,
• Aspergillus
• Penicillium
 Predisposing factors
• Agro-climatic condition
• Soil fertility status
• Topography of land
• Variety of rice grown
• Post-harvest management of straw
storage
• Harvesting time
• Disease of leafy portion plant
 Susceptibility
• The disease occurs in winter months
when fungal infested rice straw is fed
to cattle and buffaloes.
• Buffaloes are more frequently
affected than cattle and younger
animals appear to be more
susceptible.
 Symptoms
• The first indication of Degnala disease
appears when buffaloes are fed on
wet paddy straw for few days. The first
clinical symptom of the disease is the
oedematous swelling of lower extermities.
As disease progresses, eye swells,
ulcerated wound appears on the leg, tip of
ear and tail end.
 Symptoms…
• These lesions are reportedly more
marked on the fetlock around coronet,
clefts of hoofs that lead to necrosis of
skin on lesion leaving open wound.
The hairs on affected parts get
denuded and necrotic tissue gets
sloughed off.
 Symptoms….
• Anorexia,
• Lameness,
• Reluctance to walk,
• Edema and oozing,
• Gangrenous ulceration around the coronet
of hoof or tail,
• Falling of the hoof,
• Eruption or cracking of skin,
• Emaciation,recumbence and death
 Symptoms….
• Degnala appears only in the winter season

• Hair loss from twich of the tail, drop in milk

production, ascending drying of tail,
sloughing of tissue of the tail end, drying
curling sloughing of ear tip, loss of hair,
swelling reddening of coronet, grounding,
drying and sloughing of skin on muzzle.
• Rectal temperature showed apparent
hypothermia (37-38oc)
 Diagnosis
• Clinical signs
• Isolation of fungus from infected material
PM findings
• Oedema and gangrenous manifestations of the
extremities, ear lobes, tail and tip of the tongue
• Blood vessels are hard and thickened
• The subcutaneous tissue contains excess
straw colored fluid
• Hydropericardium
 Diagnosis…..
• Hematology: increase of band neutrophil giant
platelet, hypoalbuminemia and hyper
globulinemia
Differential diagnosis
• Ergot poisoning occurs mostly in cattle-itching,
vomiting, gastrointestinal and CNS effects
• Fescue poisoning- gangrene in foot and tail
• Chronic selenium toxicity –britle hair,nails,rash
• Foot rot – lame,interdigital lesion,hoofs broken
• Frost bite (Hypothermia)- dehydration,wet skin
 Treatment
• Tetracycline at an early stage of the disease
• Ivermectin @ 1 ml/50 kg BW subcutaneously.
• Adminstration of multivitamins plus mineral.
• Acetylarsan inj. @ 5-10 ml s/c 4 inj.
alternatively.
• 2% liq. Arsenical @ 2 ml O.D for 10 days.
• Antiseptic lotion on the wound, nutritious diets,
vitamin and mineral mixture.
• Herbal antifungal
Teeburb @ 2 cap o.d. for 10 days.
 Control
• Change agronomy practices.
• Develop fungus resistance rice variety
• Use balanced chemical fertilizer.
• Prevent leaf disease
• Timely harvest the rice
• Properly dry rice straw before storage
• Treatment of rice straw before feeds