Why Degnala disease

epidemic in buffaloes
throughout country this year
2012

Dr. Kedar Karki

Senior Veterinary Officer.
Vet.Public Health Offic
Tripureshwor Nepal
Introduction
 Paddy harvesting, threshing and its storage
are major agricultural activities in south
Asia during the November. Such rice straw
is the major fodder for cattle and buffaloes
during winter lean period. It’s a fact that
rice production needs source of water
supply for irrigation as water is
indispensable throughout production
period.
 The rice straw should be properly
dried before feeding otherwise the
undried straw might decay and
such straw feeding would cause
adverse effect in health of cattle
and buffaloes. The harvesting of
paddy was adversely affected in
Nepal and other south Asian countries
Due to long rain during the month of
November and December.
Introduction
 The rice plants were submerged in
the paddy field and the rice straw got
desiccated. Due to rain threat the
farmers were compelled to store the
rice straw without thorough drying.
Introduction
 As a consequence symptoms like
drying and necrosis of tail and ear
tip, swelling of legs and then
drying, necrosis and gangrenous
lesion on foot, reduction in milk
production by 70-80% were
observed in buffaloes fed to such
straw.
 In Nepal such conditions were
reported from districts like Jhapa,
saptari, siraha, Rautahat, Chitwan,
nawalparasi, Kathmandu,
Nuwakot,Banke and Lamjung. The
vet doctors and tecnnicians
working in such areas were treating
such condition diagnosing as FMD,
Black Quarter etc but without
success.
 Deg Nala disease which causes necrosis
and gangrene of the dependent parts in
buffaloes and cattle is known to exist in
Indo-Pakistan since some cases around
Muridke (District Sheikupura) a place close
to Nala Deg - a monsoon rain water stream
were recorded (Shirlaw, 1939).
 Widespread occurrence of the
disease has been reported from
rice grown areas of Indo-Pakistan
(Irfan & Maqbool, 1986; Irfan,
1971; Kalra et al, 1972) (IRFAN
and MAQBOOL, 1986) and causes
considerable economic losses.
What's in other south Asian
countries?
 There is interesting fact about above
mentioned symptoms, geographical
location and livestock production system.
During 1930s in Punjab Province of
Pakistan, the health of buffaloes fed with
rice straw from vicinity of Deg River
deteriorated with symptoms similar to
aforementioned.
 The British animal health technician
working there during that time
named the disease with all above
symptoms as DEGNALA. But he
was unable to pin point the exact
cause of that disease.
What's in other south Asian
countries?
 There is evidence that during
1960-70s the veterinarians in
panjab area of Pakistan and
india again discussed about this
disease. In 1973 the rice straw
from disease area of Punjab
ludhiyana of india was found to
infected with fungus Fusarium
Spp tested in kyu surrey
laboratory of UK.
 The investigators have claimed that
due to feeding to fungus infected
feed and straw, the toxin produced
during metabolism is the cause of
disease and symptoms in buffaloes.
What's in other south Asian
countries?

In present context above

mentioned disease is not
only prevalent in vicinity of
Deg River but also prevalent
in all those areas where
bufflaloes are kept fed with
rice straw.
In india this disease is seen
annually in
Panjab,Hariyana, uttar
Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Bihar,
bangal, Jharkhand,
chhatisgard states.
Situation in Nepal
In Nepal Degnala disease
was first reported in 1988 in
Banke district but epidemic
outbreak was in 2000 AD in
jhapa, morang,
sunsari,siraha,saptari,
Banke, and bardia districts.
Again this time after 12 yrs
this disease is reappeared in
above mentioned districts
and winter rain is
responsible for it.
Pathogenesis Factor
 The cause of symptoms in this disease
has been thoroughly studied by this
colouminst during his Master degree in
veterinary medicine. The mycotoxin
produced by the metabolism of
Fusariam fungus dissolves the collagen
Keratin and elastin into
collagenase,keratinase and elastinase
enzyme respectively.
 As a result in the dependent
parts of ear, tail, foot blood
supply is obstructed and
ultimately tissue die of anoxia.
In addition to this toxin
severely affects liver, lungs,
heart, and kidney.
Treated with Anti Degnala Liquor
by Dr. Karki in Banke(2056 f/y>
Morbidity and Mortality Data of
Degnala Disease, Nepal, 1998 -
2002
Year No. of No. of No. of Case Treat
Outbrea Cases Death Fatality ed
ks
1998 18 1158 143 12.3 1015
1999 8 554 15 2.7 539
2000 19 368 1 0.3 367
2001 13 44 0 0.0 44
2002 55 89 7 7.9 82
113 2213 166 2047
Yea No. No. No. Tre
r of of of Cas ate
Out Cas Dea e d
bre es th Fat
aks alit
y
Treatment and Control
 If possible avoid feeding of desiccated
straw
 Feed properly dried straw and feed half
quantity. Give adequate supplementation of
green fodder and tree fodder.
 Treat the infected with sodium hydroxide @
1% for 20kg straw.
 .
 If available use pentasulphate @
60 gm on first day and then @30
gm for next 15 days.
 Antidegnala liquid @ 10ml orally for
10 days.
 Mineral mixture and lactoline
should be given along with straw
What can be done for future
control?
 Vet techinican and farmers should be
trained regarding the prevention.
 Priority should be given for such disease.
 don’t wait until symptoms to appear on
buffaloes, in winter lean period give above
mentioned drugs along with straw.
 If symptoms appear, report as
soon as possible. The disease is
strongly associated with the
feeding of rice straw containing
multiple dark specks.
References

 ARORA, S. P. (1980): Use of radioactive selenium for

studies on Deg Nala disease. J. Nuclear Agri. Biol. 9,
11-13.
 BLOOD, D. C., O. M. RADOSTITS (1989): Veterinary
Medicine, 7th ed. Bailliere Tindall. London.
 IRFAN, M. (1971): The clinical picture and pathology
of Deg Nala disease in buffaloes. Vet. Rec. 88, 422-
424.
 IRFAN, M., A. MAQBOOL (1986): Studies on Deg Nala
disease in cattle and buffaloes. Pak. Vet. J. 6, 87-93.
 IRFAN, M., A. MAQBOOL, M. ASHFAQUE (1984):
Importance of moulds, fungi and mycotoxins in food
and feeds. Pak. Vet. J. 4, 187-192.
 KALRA, D. S., K. C. BHATIA, O. P. GAUTAM, M. V. S.
CHAUHAN (1972): An obscure disease (possibly Deg
Nala disease) in buffaloes and cattle. Studies on its
epizootiolgy, pathology and etiology. Haryana Agri.
Univ. J. Res. 2, 256-264.
References

 KHAJARERN, J., S. KHAJARERN, C. RATANASETHAKUL

(1990): Efficacy of hydrated sodium calcium
aluminosalicilate (Novasil) on the bioavailibility of
aflatoxins in the ducks. Proc. 7th Fed. Asian Vet. Assoc.
Congress. Pattaya, Thialand.
 PATTERSON, D. S. P., B. A. ROBERTS (1977):
Mycotoxins in food and feed. Proceedings of second
meeting on mycotoxins in animal disease. Aberdeen
1976 MAFF Pinner. p. 40.
 SCHOENTAL, R. (1980): Save your animals from Deg
Nala disease. J. Nuclear Agri. Biol. 92, 27-28.
 SHIRLAW, J. E. (1939): Deg Nala disease of buffaloes.
An account of the lesions and essential pathology. Indian
Vet. Sci. Anim. Husb. 9, 853-864.