Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina

Autores
Sosa, Emiliano; Giannitti, Federico; Gamietea, Ignacio José; Gimeno, Eduardo Juan; Verdes, José Manuel; Odriozola, Ernesto Raul; Canton, German Jose
Año de publicación
2026
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Solanum bonariense is a perennial shrub widely distributed in South America and has also been introduced into other regions, including parts of Europe and North Africa. Its consumption has been associated with chronic neurodegenerative disease in grazing cattle, although well-documented natural cases remain limited, particularly those integrating clinical, epidemiological, and advanced pathological findings. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a natural outbreak of S. bonariense intoxication in cattle under field conditions. The outbreak was observed on a beef cattle farm located on an island of the Paraná River Delta, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, during a prolonged drought that resulted in severe forage scarcity. Neurological disease affected 20 of 76 (26%) adult Aberdeen Angus cows, with a high lethality (75%). Clinically, the affected animals exhibited recurrent, episodic neurological signs characterized by abnormal gait (ataxia, hypermetria), postural instability, muscle tremors, frequent falls, and, during recovery, occasional dog-sitting posture and stargazing, with no loss of consciousness. Postmortem examination was conducted in an affected cow; no gross lesions were observed. Histopathological examination revealed marked vacuolar degeneration, death and loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, with axonal and dendritic spheroids, and secondary demyelination. Prominent reactive cerebellar astrogliosis was demonstrated by immunofluorescence with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated numerous membrane-bound intracytoplasmic vesicles containing electron-dense material, consistent with dilated lysosomes in Purkinje neurons. Abundant S. bonariense was botanically identified in the paddocks the affected animals grazed on for nearly 8 months. The epidemiological context, characteristic clinical presentation, and distinctive neuropathological findings support a diagnosis of chronic plant-induced cerebellar neurodegeneration. By integrating field epidemiology with detailed histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunofluorescence data, this study complements previous experimental and sporadic reports and contributes to improved recognition, differential diagnosis, and understanding of the pathogenesis of S. bonariense intoxication in diverse production systems.
EEA Balcarce
Fil: Sosa, Emiliano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
Fil: Giannitti, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria. Estación Experimental La Estanzuela; Uruguay
Fil: Gamietea, Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Pedro; Argentina
Fil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina
Fil: Verdes, José Manuel. Universidad de la República. Facultad de Veterinaria; Uruguay
Fil: Odriozola, Ernesto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
Fil: Cantón, Germán. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
Fuente
Veterinary Research Communications 50 : article number 452. (July 2026)
Materia
Ganado Bovino
Plantas Tóxicas
Envenenamiento
Cattle
Poisonous Plants
Poisoning
Argentina
Solanum Bonariense
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso restringido
Condiciones de uso
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Repositorio
INTA Digital (INTA)
Institución
Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
OAI Identificador
oai:localhost:20.500.12123/27057
Acceder
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oai_identifier_str oai:localhost:20.500.12123/27057
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network_name_str INTA Digital (INTA)
spelling Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in ArgentinaSosa, EmilianoGiannitti, FedericoGamietea, Ignacio JoséGimeno, Eduardo JuanVerdes, José ManuelOdriozola, Ernesto RaulCanton, German JoseGanado BovinoPlantas TóxicasEnvenenamientoCattlePoisonous PlantsPoisoningArgentinaSolanum BonarienseSolanum bonariense is a perennial shrub widely distributed in South America and has also been introduced into other regions, including parts of Europe and North Africa. Its consumption has been associated with chronic neurodegenerative disease in grazing cattle, although well-documented natural cases remain limited, particularly those integrating clinical, epidemiological, and advanced pathological findings. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a natural outbreak of S. bonariense intoxication in cattle under field conditions. The outbreak was observed on a beef cattle farm located on an island of the Paraná River Delta, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, during a prolonged drought that resulted in severe forage scarcity. Neurological disease affected 20 of 76 (26%) adult Aberdeen Angus cows, with a high lethality (75%). Clinically, the affected animals exhibited recurrent, episodic neurological signs characterized by abnormal gait (ataxia, hypermetria), postural instability, muscle tremors, frequent falls, and, during recovery, occasional dog-sitting posture and stargazing, with no loss of consciousness. Postmortem examination was conducted in an affected cow; no gross lesions were observed. Histopathological examination revealed marked vacuolar degeneration, death and loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, with axonal and dendritic spheroids, and secondary demyelination. Prominent reactive cerebellar astrogliosis was demonstrated by immunofluorescence with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated numerous membrane-bound intracytoplasmic vesicles containing electron-dense material, consistent with dilated lysosomes in Purkinje neurons. Abundant S. bonariense was botanically identified in the paddocks the affected animals grazed on for nearly 8 months. The epidemiological context, characteristic clinical presentation, and distinctive neuropathological findings support a diagnosis of chronic plant-induced cerebellar neurodegeneration. By integrating field epidemiology with detailed histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunofluorescence data, this study complements previous experimental and sporadic reports and contributes to improved recognition, differential diagnosis, and understanding of the pathogenesis of S. bonariense intoxication in diverse production systems.EEA BalcarceFil: Sosa, Emiliano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Giannitti, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria. Estación Experimental La Estanzuela; UruguayFil: Gamietea, Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Pedro; ArgentinaFil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Verdes, José Manuel. Universidad de la República. Facultad de Veterinaria; UruguayFil: Odriozola, Ernesto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Cantón, Germán. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaSpringer2026-07-17T14:27:56Z2026-07-17T14:27:56Z2026-07info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/27057https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-21573-7446 (online)0165-7380 (print)https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-2Veterinary Research Communications 50 : article number 452. (July 2026)reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariaenginfo:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2019-RIST-E5-I111-001, Laboratorios de Diagnóstico Veterinarioinfo:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccesshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)2026-09-24T11:43:29Zoai:localhost:20.500.12123/27057instacron:INTAInstitucionalhttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://repositorio.inta.gob.ar/oai/requesttripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:l2026-09-24 11:43:30.151INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuariafalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
title Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
spellingShingle Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
Sosa, Emiliano
Ganado Bovino
Plantas Tóxicas
Envenenamiento
Cattle
Poisonous Plants
Poisoning
Argentina
Solanum Bonariense
title_short Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
title_full Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
title_fullStr Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
title_full_unstemmed Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
title_sort Natural intoxication by Solanum bonariense causing cerebellar neurodegeneration in cattle in Argentina
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sosa, Emiliano
Giannitti, Federico
Gamietea, Ignacio José
Gimeno, Eduardo Juan
Verdes, José Manuel
Odriozola, Ernesto Raul
Canton, German Jose
author Sosa, Emiliano
author_facet Sosa, Emiliano
Giannitti, Federico
Gamietea, Ignacio José
Gimeno, Eduardo Juan
Verdes, José Manuel
Odriozola, Ernesto Raul
Canton, German Jose
author_role author
author2 Giannitti, Federico
Gamietea, Ignacio José
Gimeno, Eduardo Juan
Verdes, José Manuel
Odriozola, Ernesto Raul
Canton, German Jose
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Ganado Bovino
Plantas Tóxicas
Envenenamiento
Cattle
Poisonous Plants
Poisoning
Argentina
Solanum Bonariense
topic Ganado Bovino
Plantas Tóxicas
Envenenamiento
Cattle
Poisonous Plants
Poisoning
Argentina
Solanum Bonariense
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Solanum bonariense is a perennial shrub widely distributed in South America and has also been introduced into other regions, including parts of Europe and North Africa. Its consumption has been associated with chronic neurodegenerative disease in grazing cattle, although well-documented natural cases remain limited, particularly those integrating clinical, epidemiological, and advanced pathological findings. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a natural outbreak of S. bonariense intoxication in cattle under field conditions. The outbreak was observed on a beef cattle farm located on an island of the Paraná River Delta, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, during a prolonged drought that resulted in severe forage scarcity. Neurological disease affected 20 of 76 (26%) adult Aberdeen Angus cows, with a high lethality (75%). Clinically, the affected animals exhibited recurrent, episodic neurological signs characterized by abnormal gait (ataxia, hypermetria), postural instability, muscle tremors, frequent falls, and, during recovery, occasional dog-sitting posture and stargazing, with no loss of consciousness. Postmortem examination was conducted in an affected cow; no gross lesions were observed. Histopathological examination revealed marked vacuolar degeneration, death and loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, with axonal and dendritic spheroids, and secondary demyelination. Prominent reactive cerebellar astrogliosis was demonstrated by immunofluorescence with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated numerous membrane-bound intracytoplasmic vesicles containing electron-dense material, consistent with dilated lysosomes in Purkinje neurons. Abundant S. bonariense was botanically identified in the paddocks the affected animals grazed on for nearly 8 months. The epidemiological context, characteristic clinical presentation, and distinctive neuropathological findings support a diagnosis of chronic plant-induced cerebellar neurodegeneration. By integrating field epidemiology with detailed histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunofluorescence data, this study complements previous experimental and sporadic reports and contributes to improved recognition, differential diagnosis, and understanding of the pathogenesis of S. bonariense intoxication in diverse production systems.
EEA Balcarce
Fil: Sosa, Emiliano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
Fil: Giannitti, Federico. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria. Estación Experimental La Estanzuela; Uruguay
Fil: Gamietea, Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Pedro; Argentina
Fil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentina
Fil: Verdes, José Manuel. Universidad de la República. Facultad de Veterinaria; Uruguay
Fil: Odriozola, Ernesto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
Fil: Cantón, Germán. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentina
description Solanum bonariense is a perennial shrub widely distributed in South America and has also been introduced into other regions, including parts of Europe and North Africa. Its consumption has been associated with chronic neurodegenerative disease in grazing cattle, although well-documented natural cases remain limited, particularly those integrating clinical, epidemiological, and advanced pathological findings. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of a natural outbreak of S. bonariense intoxication in cattle under field conditions. The outbreak was observed on a beef cattle farm located on an island of the Paraná River Delta, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, during a prolonged drought that resulted in severe forage scarcity. Neurological disease affected 20 of 76 (26%) adult Aberdeen Angus cows, with a high lethality (75%). Clinically, the affected animals exhibited recurrent, episodic neurological signs characterized by abnormal gait (ataxia, hypermetria), postural instability, muscle tremors, frequent falls, and, during recovery, occasional dog-sitting posture and stargazing, with no loss of consciousness. Postmortem examination was conducted in an affected cow; no gross lesions were observed. Histopathological examination revealed marked vacuolar degeneration, death and loss of Purkinje neurons in the cerebellum, with axonal and dendritic spheroids, and secondary demyelination. Prominent reactive cerebellar astrogliosis was demonstrated by immunofluorescence with anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated numerous membrane-bound intracytoplasmic vesicles containing electron-dense material, consistent with dilated lysosomes in Purkinje neurons. Abundant S. bonariense was botanically identified in the paddocks the affected animals grazed on for nearly 8 months. The epidemiological context, characteristic clinical presentation, and distinctive neuropathological findings support a diagnosis of chronic plant-induced cerebellar neurodegeneration. By integrating field epidemiology with detailed histopathological, ultrastructural, and immunofluorescence data, this study complements previous experimental and sporadic reports and contributes to improved recognition, differential diagnosis, and understanding of the pathogenesis of S. bonariense intoxication in diverse production systems.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026-07-17T14:27:56Z
2026-07-17T14:27:56Z
2026-07
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/27057
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-2
1573-7446 (online)
0165-7380 (print)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-2
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/27057
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-2
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-026-11401-2
identifier_str_mv 1573-7446 (online)
0165-7380 (print)
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repograntAgreement/INTA/2019-RIST-E5-I111-001, Laboratorios de Diagnóstico Veterinario
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
eu_rights_str_mv restrictedAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Veterinary Research Communications 50 : article number 452. (July 2026)
reponame:INTA Digital (INTA)
instname:Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
reponame_str INTA Digital (INTA)
collection INTA Digital (INTA)
instname_str Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.name.fl_str_mv INTA Digital (INTA) - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria
repository.mail.fl_str_mv tripaldi.nicolas@inta.gob.ar
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