FACIAL ECZEMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23517, 4 June 1938, Page 3

FACIAL ECZEMA

SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT RECENT OUTBREAK DISCUSSED ADDRESS BY MR C. V. DAYUS The recent outbreak of facial eczema in New Zealand, and various aspects of the malady, were discussed at a meeting of farmers in Oamaru bj the district superintendent of the Department of Agriculture (Mr C. V. Dayus). The serious outbreak in parts of the North Island had caused considerable concern throughout the Dominion, he said, and extensive economic loss on several of the farms which had experienced the trouble. Cases had occurred over a wide area in the North Island, with the worst manifestation in the Waikato district. In the North Island the condition had been termed “facial eczema,” though this term was a bad one, as it was not primarily a skin disease. Further, the skin lesions, while particularly prevalent in the face region, were often found in other parts of the body. In the South Island a similar, though perhaps not identical condition which went by the name of “facial dematitis,” had been known to occur periodically in certain areas for many years past. In the Benmore district at one time it was so well known that it was termed “Benmore disease.” This condition was also known In the Serpentine area of Central Otago, and to some extent in the Roxburgh, Queenstown, and Pembroke districts. It is also well known in the Mackenzie country in Canterbury. DISEASE IN NORTH ISLAND “ The North Island disease,” he said, “ has been more or less prevalent for many years, and occasionally under certain feed and climatic conditions it has assumed epidemic proportions as in 1910. 1925, 1926, 1935, and the most serious of all in the current year. It is interesting to mention that the possibility of the disease occurring extensively during this autumn season was accurately forecasted by Mr J. E. Mcllwaine, M.R.C.V.S.. in an article on the subject in the New Zealand Journal of Agriculture for February last. There is no evidence to suggest that facial eczema ’ is a contagious disease, it is primarily a dietetic condition which, after a dry summer, may occur in the late summer and early autumn period, particularly when there

has been suitable rainfall and humidity during this period to produce a rapid response in growth resulting in luxuriant and lush pasture. It is undoubtedly significant that practically all the cases in the recent outbreaks have been among stock (sheep and cattle) grazing on top-dressed improved pasture consisting predominantly of ryegrass and clovers.

SYMPTOMS “ Some of the early symptoms of the disease are rather similar to those seen in a condition in cattle known in England as ‘Blaine’ or ‘Ting’; no doubt there are Old Country farmers here who will remember this. General restlessness is observed, with a certain amount of coughing and sneezing, with a marked discharge from the nose ai.d eyes. The ears quickly become oedematous and drooped, this being followed by a puffing of the eyelids and face, and sometimes, also, along the skin of the back. The animals are sensitive to light, with the result that the eyelids are often closed, and they naturally seek shade. ,r A rather characteristic symptom is the intense irritation set up. with the result that sheep rub the skin of the ears, eyes, and lips against any object they can get to. “In sheep there is marked evidence of jaundice, recognised by the yellow colouring of the membranes of the eyes and mouth and a yellow colouring of the skin covering the body. The jaundiced condition is evidence of some upset in the normal flow of bile, which is absorbed and distributed to the body tissues. On post mortem the most constant change is in the liver, a portion of which shows wasting, while another portion appears bulbous from regeneration of liver cells. “ There is definite evidence of an acute digestive derangement, and it appears that the animal body is unable to accommodate itself to the complete change in the general feed conditions within the short period of a week or two.”

PHOTOSENSITIVITY THEORY Much work had been carried out in South Africa on chlorophyll, the green colouring matter of plants, and it had been shown that this was broken down in the rumen to form a fluorescent body—phylloerythin—some of which was normally absorbed and secreted by the liver. As the result of liver damage, it was assumed that this sensitising agent, which was most abundant in the youngest and most rapidly growing herbage, was conveyed to the tissues, with the result that the unpigmented skin was rendered abnormally sensitive to the harmful effect of the ultra violet rays of the sun. It was known by experiment that there were several fluorescent chemical substances capable of sensitising the unpigmented skin and rendering it photosensitive.

PREVENTION It was perfectly evident that some system of management must be adopted whereby the stock can be permitted to accommodate themselves gradually to a sudden flush of green feed after drought or semi-drought conditions. This appeared especially to be the case where ryegrass and perhaps more particularly clovers, constituted a predominant portion of the succulent green feed. The ruminant animal required distension of the rumen, to have its digestive apparatus properly function, and this must be accomplished to a certain extent by dry feed or roughage: or at least pasture capable of contributing a much greater proportion of fibre to the ration than was at present the case.

SIMILAR DISEASE IN SOUTH ISLAND "A somewhat similar condition occurs in the parts of the South Island I have mentioned, but the predisposing factors are not the same. So far there has been no evidence of liver damage recorded here, but the facial lesions are very much the same as those seen in the North, and again there is intense irritation. In the South Island it occurs In sheep on tussock runs 1000 to 3000 feet above sea-level, but nothing like the same percentage of animals are affected in any one flock. The worst period for the disease making its appearance is during the months of January and February, The skin lesions here are believed to be produced by photosensitisation after the area affected has become sensitised by a substance contained in certain plants.” There were many instances in animals of dermatitis following photosensitisation, associated with the consumption of certain plants and foodstuffs, The most valuable work on the whole question had been performed in South Africa in connection with the disease “ Gelldikkop ’’ (‘‘ Yellow Swollen head”) in sheep, following grazing, under certain circumstances, on a clover-like legtiminous plant called Tribulus. It also had been known to occur in the United States in horses after feeding on buckwheat, and the condition was known as fagopyrism. Incidentally he had seen odd cases of unknown origin in horses in Otago. The condition had also been known to occur after feeding on various clovers and trefoils and members of the Hypericum family. It had been thought that members of the Hypericum family were responsible for the disease in Otago. St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) was prevalent in the Queenstown district and it also existed to a lesser extent in the Pembroke district. Other smaller Hypericums—e.g., Hypericum japonicum—were known to exist on the tussock areas where “facial dermatitis ” occurred in sheep In Otago.