Blind staggers

Beta radiation Electron emission from unstable nuclei, 26,30,528 Binary molecular compound, 41-42,190 Binding energy Energy equivalent of the mass defect measure of nuclear stability, 522,523 Bismuth (m) sulfide, 540 Blassie, Michael, 629 Blind staggers, 574 Blister copper, 539 Blood alcohol concentrations, 43t Body-centered cubic cell (BCC) A cubic unit cell with an atom at each comer and one at the center, 246 Bohrmodd Model of the hydrogen atom... 

Blind staggers, from consumption of moderately toxic amounts of seleniferous weeds over an extended period of time... 

In livestock, selenium has been found to be the cause of blind staggers and alkali disease. Blind staggers occurs as a result of acute ingestion of seleniferous plants and is characterized by impaired vision, depressed appetite, a tendency to wander in circles, paralysis, and death from respiratory failure. A more chronic syndrome described in horses and livestock is alkali disease, which also is associated with consumption of grains or plants containing selenium. The disease is characterized by lack of vitality, loss of appetite, emaciation, deformed hoofs, loss of hair, erosion of the joints of long bones, anemia, cirrhosis, and cardiac atrophy ... 

Excess selenium intake can occur in both animals and humans living in areas with elevated selenium in the soil. Most grass and grains do not accumulate selenium, but when an animal consumes plants that do accumulate selenium (some up to 10,000 mg/kg) they can develop a condition called the blind staggers . Symptoms include depressed appetite, impaired vision, and staggering in circles and can ultimately lead to paralysis and death. Humans are susceptible to similar effects as well as additional neurological effects. Selenium deficiency results in heart disorders, skeletal muscle effects, and liver damage. 

Blind staggers -selenium excess m livestock [MINERAL NUTRIENTS] (Vol 16)... 

Some plants classified as mineral accumulators become toxic because of the inorganic materials that they absorb from soil and water and retain in the plant biomass. An important example of such a plant is Astragalus, sometimes called locoweed. This plant causes serious problems in some western U.S. grazing areas because it accumulates selenium. Animals that eat too much of it get selenium poisoning, characterized by anemia and a condition known descriptively as blind staggers. ... 

In people whose thiamin intake is marginal, colonization of the gastrointestinal tract with thiaminolytic microorganisms may be a factor in the development of beriberi. The thiaminases present in raw fish can result in so-called Chastek paralysis of foxes and mink, as a result of destruction of thiamin, and may be important in parts of the world where much of the apparent thiamin intake is from fish that is eaten raw or fermented. The polyphenols and thiami-nase in bracken fern can cause thiamin deficiency (blind staggers) in horses, and tannic acid in tea and betel nut have been associated with human thiamin deficiency. 

Extremely small amounts of Se are required by warm-blooded animals, but Se is also highly toxic in larger amounts. Two livestock diseases known as blind staggers and alkali disease were identified as manifestations of acute and chronic Se poisoning (Robinson, 1933). New Zealand scientists McLean et al. (1959) discovered that muscular dystrophy in lambs and calves could be prevented by Se therapy. Selenium-deficiency areas were later identified in many other countries and it soon became apparent that these areas were of far greater extent than those affected by excessive Se levels. 

In areas with unusually high levels of selenium in the soil, livestock develop blind-stagger disease, which is characterized by loss of vision, weakness of the limbs, and possible respiratory failure. Runoff from heavily fertilized farms causes excess selenium in ponds, which results in malformation of birds. 

Selenium Liver necrosis white muscle disease Blind staggers in cattle... 

Draize JH, Beath OA. 1935. Observations on the pathology of blind staggers and alkali disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc 86 753-763. 

Blind staggers, acute Se poisoning, movement decreased, garlic breath or vomiting, dyspnea, death. Alkali disease, chronic selenosis, elongated hooves... 

HUMAN HEALTH RISKS Selenium Sulfide EPA Group B2 probable human carcinogen Acute Risks irritation of eyes and mucous membranes bronchial spasms bronchitis chemical pneumonia headache indigestion cardiovascular effects liver effects fatigue nosebleed nausea vomiting chills tremors blind staggers disease Chronic Risks nose irritation ... 

Carcinogenic in large doses in rats. Essential to mammals and chicks in low doses. Teratogenic in chicks "Blind staggers" and "alkali disease" in cattle and "white muscle disease" in sheep. ... 

The history of toxicity syndromes related to excessive Se intake has been reviewed [38]. Three syndromes found in farm animals in seleniferous areas are (1) acute selenosis, from consumption of highly seleniferous plants that produced severe symptoms and death in a few hours (2) chronic selenosis, from moderately toxic amounts of these plants eaten over a considerable period of time, resulting in blind staggers and often death and (3) chronic selenosis, where forages containing lesser but still excessive levels of selenium ( 5-30 ppm Se) were eaten over a period of weeks or months. From this syndrome, alkali disease resulted in which signs of the disease included hair loss, malformed hooves, lameness, and emaciation. 

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