Photosensitisation of livestock grazing Narthecium ossifragum: Current knowledge and future directions.

摘要: Photosensitisation diseases can cause production and animal welfare losses world-wide. In North-West Europe a photosensitisation disease complex known as 'plochteach', 'yellowses', 'saut' 'alveld' occurs in lambs on extensive pastures containing bog asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum). Affected develop lesions the ears, face sometimes back, with erythema, oedema, ulceration necrosis that be followed by secondary infection death. Adult sheep appear unaffected, incidence varies from year to there are variations susceptibility between- within-breeds. The definitive remains uncertain although ingestion of N. ossifragum, which contains hepatotoxic saponins, has been implicated aetiology. However, problems replicating feeding N. ossifragum controlled environment have led alternative hypotheses, including possible intake toxins fungal spores cyanobacteria. Further research is required assess putative role scale economic associated disease, how best identify affected animals before external clinical signs treatment management cases. Given challenges involved isolating causative agent(s) plochteach, an breeding route may effective if heritability resistance/susceptibility demonstrated.