Clinical and pathologic changes in small ruminants with acute <i>Chimonanthus praecox</i> (wintersweet) intoxication confirmed by analytical chemistry.

ABSTRACT: Abnormal sudden mortality of 2 goats and 10 sheep occurred in a 27-head flock in Verona province (northeastern Italy). In the 24 h before death, animals had acute ataxia, lateral recumbency, spastic convulsions, and dyspnea. Autopsy of 4 animals was performed at the Verona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory of the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe; Italy). In the forestomachs, abundant fibrous material and numerous seeds were observed. Bacteriologic, parasitologic, and histologic investigations were carried out; samples of rumen contents and liver were analyzed by direct analysis real-time high-resolution mass spectrometry (DART-HRMS), which allows rapid screening of toxic substances. The combination of DART-HRMS and liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem MS (L

SUBMITTER: Leone S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12586371 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature