TREATMENT OF GID (COENUROSIS) IN GOATS
Also known as Gid, Staggers, Sturdy, Taenia multiceps
Coenurosis is a parasitic disease of the central nervous system. It is fairly uncommon, but seen in certain geographical areas particularly in Asian country. It is caused by a tapeworm (cestode) called Taenia multiceps (T. multiceps), which lives relatively benignly in the definitive canine host (including dogs, foxes, jackals and coyote) but causes significant disease in the intermediate host, where the larval stage of the tapeworm migrates to the brain and spinal cord and matures into a fluid –filled cyst. Sheep are the main intermediate host but there have been rare cases reported in cattle, pigs, deer, horses and humans.
Cerebral coenurosis is an important disease affecting sheep and goat which causes significant economic losses in their production. Cerebral coenurosis is caused by larval stage of Taenia multiceps known as Coenurus cerebralis.
Gid (Coenurosis) is a disease of the central nervous system in Goats, caused by Coenuruscerebralis, the larval stage of Taenia multiceps, a tapeworm, which infests the small intestine of carnivores. In 80–90% of cases, the cyst is located in one cerebral hemisphere, whilst in 5–10% of cases, it is localised in the cerebellum; rarely it involves two sites in the brain of the affected animal.
Coenuruscerebralis is the larval form of Taeniamulticeps which is seen in the small intestines ofcarnivores; Infection occurs as a result of the oral intake of eggs spreading via fecal dumps of those animals by intermediate hosts .The disease is known as gid or sturdy which primarily localises in the central nervous system of sheep and goats mostly, but can also seen in camels, deer, pigs, horses, however, rarely in cattle and humans Most of the cysts are located in the cerebral hemispheres and spinal cord, while rarely invading the subcutaneous and intramuscular tissues along with other organs .Symptoms vary depending on the cyst’s location, size and compression the brain .While C. cerebralis initially causes purulent meningoencephalitis, later as the cyst grows, it leads to central nervous system symptoms resulting in death .Most of the characteristic clinical findings are observed 2-8 months after the intake of pathogen. Infected animals manifest circling, head tilt towards the side of the cyst location, in coordinated and uncontrolled movements, ataxia, failure to hold the head straight, blindness, teeth grinding, salivation, paresis, convulsions.
With history of anorexia, bleating, head pressing against the wall and circling movement . Palpation of the occipital bone between the two horns lead to bleating.
The real prevalence of coenurosis is difficult to assess, because farmers and vets often diagnose the disease and send the animal for slaughter without confirmation or report. A large proportion of infected lambs may also be sold fat before clinical signs have developed
Dogs and other canines such as foxes, coyotes and jackals are the definitive hosts of the tapeworm Taenia multiceps. Canine hosts shed tapeworm eggs in their faeces which contaminates the pasture for the intermediate host to ingest. T. multicepsinfection on a farm is significant as it confirms an unbroken sheep and dog life cycle, which in turn implies the existence of more important tapeworms such as Echinococcus granulosus. This dog / sheep tapeworm usually infects sheep and forms cysts in the lungs and liver, which if consumed by humans will cause a very serious disease that is very difficult to treat. Surgery is the only option.
The life cycle of Taenia multiceps:
1. The intermediate host is infected through ingestion of T. multiceps eggs
2. Each egg contains an onchosphere which hatches and is activated in the small intestine
3. The onchosphere penetrates the mucosa and is carried via the blood stream to the brain or spinal cord. In goats the cysts can form in subcutaneous and muscular sites as well as the brain and spinal cord
4. The onchosphere develops into a metacestode larval stage called Coenurosis cerebralis
5. The Coenurosis cerebralis matures into a thin-walled fluid-filled cyst about 5cm in diameter
6. The life cycle is complete when the canine eats the raw infected brain, spinal cord or offal contaminated by the fluid from the ruptured cyst. The scolex (head of the tapeworm) embeds itself into the wall of the small intestine where it begins to grow, and shed new eggs.
Usually the Coenurosis cerebralis cyst persists for the life of the intermediate host.
Clinical Signs of Coenurosis:
The clinical signs of the coenurosis develop when the central nervous system (CNS) of the goat/sheep is invaded by the cystic larval stage, or metacestode of the tapeworm.
Coenurosis can occur in both an acute and a chronic disease form. Acute coenurosis occurs during the migratory phase of the disease, usually about 10 days after the ingestion of large numbers of tapeworm eggs. Young lambs aged 6-8 weeks are most likely to show signs of acute disease. The signs are associated with an inflammatory and allergic reaction. There is transient pyrexia, and relatively mild neurological signs such as listlessness and a slight head aversion. Occasionally the signs are more severe and the animal may develop encephalitis, convulse and die within 4 – 5 days.
Acute disease is an important differential diagnosis for Cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN).
Chronic coenurosis typically occurs in sheep of 16-18 months of age. The time taken for the larvae to hatch, migrate and grow large enough to present nervous dysfunction varies from 2 to 6 months. The earliest signs are often behavioural, with the affected animal tending to stand apart from the flock and react slowly to external stimuli. As the cyst grows, the clinical signs progress to depression, unilateral blindness, circling, altered head position, incoordination, paralysis and recumbency. Unless treated surgically, the animal will die .
The animal is controlled manually with an assistant on lateral recumbency by keeping the affected side upper. The operative area is clipped, shaved and soaked with Tr. of iodine. Soon after sterilization the operative site is blocked by 2% lidocaine hydrochloride, a local analgesic A crosswise incision is given to make four flaps each of which is detached from the subcutaneous tissue by blunt dissection. Bleeding is checked by applying thumb pressure or gauge pressure. The subcutaneous tissue and the thin bone are scrapped then a hole is made sufficiently large enough with the help of a tissue forceps (Toothed forceps) to remove the cyst. A probe is gently introduced a bit and circling is done so that cyst can come out easily. Whenever cyst is found to come out the goat is allowed to jerk its head and move. Then the cyst is slowly removed by holding it with dry cotton and finger. Utmost care is taken not to allow the cyst to rupture and pour the fluid into the brain. Sometimes it is needed to wrap with thin cotton around the tip of the forceps. Before suturing the skin sulphanilamide powder is applied over the wounds. The flaps are sutured by interrupted pattern with nylon. A benzoin seal is then applied over the wound. In the weak and emaciated animals 5% dextrose saline (500 ml) is administered continuously into the jugular vein during operation.
Postoperative care:
A combined antibiotic containing procaine penicillin 0.1 million units, benzathine penicillin 0.3 million units, streptomycin sulphate 0.5 gm (plus 5 ml distilled water) is used intra-muscularly @ 2 ml/10 kg body weight daily for 7 days. Intravenous saline is indicated until animals start eating again after surgery. It is advised to keep the animal in a clean house and not allowed to rub its head. Suture is removed after 7-9 days.
Effects of age, sex and seasons on the occurrence of gid disease:
The disease predominantly occurred between 1-2 years of age. The females (especially pregnant) are more vulnerable to the disease than male. The disease predominantly occurred in rainy season than in the other season of the year.
Zoonotic Importance of Cerebral Coenurosis:
Coenurus cerbrallis in human beings diagnosed for the first time in 1913 in Paris, when a man presented symptoms of CNS nerve degeneration. He had convulsions and trouble speaking/ understanding speech. During his autopsy, two coenuri were found in his brain.
Coenurosis is a relatively rare zoonotic disease of humans, caused by the larval stage of a dog tape worm Taenia(Multiceps) multiceps. Human infection occurs if eggs are accidentally ingested as result of poor personal hygiene after being shed in the faces of the dog.
After ingestion of the eggs, larvae hatch, penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate to various tissues, where they develop in to large, cystic larvae. Symptoms are secondary to the presence of a cyst in a vital structure. Patients with coenurosis present with headache and papille edema. The cysts have been responsible for epilepsy, hemiplegia, monoplegia and cerebral ataxia. When the spinal cord is affected there may be spastic paraplesia, lymphadenopathy, fever and malaise can occur, raising the suspicion of lymphoma
The cerebral form of coenurosis in human is the most serious one. Several years may pass between infection and the appearance of symptoms and the symptoms varies with the neuroanatomical localization of the Coenurus: cerebral coenurosis is manifested by signs of intracranial hypertension and the disease is very difficult to distinguish clinically from neurocysticercosis or cerebral hydatidosis. Symptoms that may be observed consist of headache, vomiting, paraplegia, hemiplegia, aphasia and epileptic form of seizures. Papilledema is a sign of increased intracranial pressure. The Coenurus can also develop in the vitreous humor and may affect the retina and choroid. The degree of damage to vision
depends on the size of the Coenurus and the extent of the choroido retinal lesion. The prognosis for coenurosis of the nervous tissue is always serious and the only treatment is surgery, although recently, the testing of treatment with praziquantel or albendazole has begun .
There are more than 100 reports of human infection with these metacestodes. The cerebral coenurosis create hygiene after being shed in the faces of the dog.
After ingestion of the eggs, larvae hatch, penetrate the intestinal wall and migrate to various tissues, where they develop in to large, cystic larvae. Symptoms are secondary to the presence of a cyst in a vital structure.
Patients with coenurosis present with headache and papille edema. The cysts have been responsible for epilepsy, hemiplegia, monoplegia and cerebral ataxia.
When the spinal cord is affected there may be spastic paraplesia, lymphadenopathy, fever and malaise can occur, raising the suspicion of lymphoma The cerebral form of coenurosis in human is the most serious one. Several years may pass between infection and the appearance of symptoms and the symptoms varies with the neuroanatomical localization of the Coenurus cerebral coenurosis is manifested by signs of intracranial hypertension and the disease is very difficult to distinguish clinically from neurocysticercosis or cerebral hydatidosis. Symptoms that may be observed consist of headache, vomiting, paraplegia, hemiplegia, aphasia and epileptic form of seizures. Papilledema is a sign of increased intracranial pressure. The Coenurus can also develop in the vitreous humor and may affect the retina and choroid. The degree of damage to vision depends on the size of the Coenurus and the extent of the choroido retinal lesion. The prognosis for coenurosis of the nervous tissue is always serious and the only treatment is surgery, although recently, the testing of treatment with praziquantel or albendazole has begun . There are more than 100 reports of human infection with these metacestodes. The cerebral coenurosis create
serious problems and even death in patients
Control and Prevention:
Control of coenurosis in livestock relies on the same measures as those used to prevent other metacestodoses Cerebral coenurosis can be controlled by regular anthelmintic treatment of dogs at 6-8 week intervals, by using an effective taenicide and correct disposal of sheep and goat brain after slaughtering or death of animals to prevent scavenging by dogs belonging to the general public, which may not receive regular anthelmintic treatment Effective control measures can also be taken by methods such as prohibition of backyard slaughtering, disposal of heads and public awareness of the epidemiology of the C. cerebralis Communities and governments can make sure their
water supply remains sanitary and free of dog feces.
Communities can control number of stray dog populations. Individuals should wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating and make sure their dogs are not infected with tapeworm For man, individual prevention from coenurosis consists of avoiding the ingestion of raw food or water that may be contaminated with dog feces .There should be public awareness regarding the disease transmission Individuals who have contact with dog faeces should wash their hands with soap after work and have to keep their self-hygiene
Society should keep their water sources and vegetable gardens out of rich of dog faeces.
Raw vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly before eating.
Dog should be dewormed regularly .Dog contact with pasture should be controlled
Population of stray dog should be reduced.
Brains of the infected sheep and goats after slaughter should be disposed properly.
Back yard slaughtering or illegal butcheries should be prohibited by the law.
The best control and prevention of coenurosis is to prevent dogs from having access to sheep and cattle carcasses and not to feed them uncooked meat . If this is not possible, the control and prevention of coenurosis should be based on routine anthelmintic dosing of dogs, preferably every three months.
Public footpaths running through the sheep fields used by people walking their dogs can be a particular problem Farmers could display a sign explaining the disease risks and encouraging local people walking their dogs on these fields to have their dogs wormed.
GID (COENUROSIS) IN GOATS
Compiled & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
