An outbreak of granulomatous peritonitis caused by injectable selenium in a flock of Merino sheep

During meat inspection, unusual pigmented lesions were found in the abdomens of 411 sheep from a flock raised in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. In each affected sheep there were multiple discrete, soft, yellow homogeneous plaques beneath the parietal peritoneum and extending into margin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian veterinary journal 2011-06, Vol.89 (6), p.209-212
Main Authors: Dennis, MM, Henriquez, J, Keipert, G, Biazik, J, Braet, F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
abattoirs
Animals
Barium Compounds - administration & dosage
Barium Compounds - adverse effects
Delayed-Action Preparations - administration & dosage
Delayed-Action Preparations - adverse effects
Food Inspection
granuloma
Injections, Intraperitoneal - veterinary
Meat - standards
meat inspection
peritonitis
Peritonitis - chemically induced
Peritonitis - pathology
Peritonitis - veterinary
Pigmentation
Selenic Acid
selenium
Selenium - deficiency
Selenium Compounds - administration & dosage
Selenium Compounds - adverse effects
Sheep
Sheep Diseases - chemically induced
Sheep Diseases - pathology
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Summary:During meat inspection, unusual pigmented lesions were found in the abdomens of 411 sheep from a flock raised in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales. In each affected sheep there were multiple discrete, soft, yellow homogeneous plaques beneath the parietal peritoneum and extending into marginating facial planes of the diaphragm and body wall. Microscopically, the lesions consisted of focal granulomatous peritonitis with intracellular acicular refractile golden‐brown crystals. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy revealed intralesional barium and selenium, two components of an injectable selenium compound administered to the sheep 6–8 months prior, which contains the yellow pigment, iron oxide. The mechanism of subperitoneal deposition of the compound could not be confirmed, but is presumed to have involved intraperitoneal injection of barium selenate. Meat inspectors and diagnosticians should consider barium selenate injection‐site granulomas as a possible explanation for yellow pigmented lesions, especially in livestock from selenium‐deficient areas. Animal care providers should be aware that incorrect administration of barium selenate can result in losses from condemnation or downgrading of meat product.
ISSN:0005-0423
1751-0813
DOI:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2011.00713.x