Photosensitivity in South Africa. II. The experimental production of the ovine hepatogenous photosensitivity disease geeldikkop (Tribulosis ovis) by the simultaneous ingestion of Tribulus terrestris plants and cultures of Pithomyces chartarum containing the mycotoxin sporidesmin.

The mycoflora of toxic pastures were surveyed during a number of outbreaks of ovine hepatogenous photosensitivity in South Africa. Pure cultures of several isolates were dosed to sheep, but only those of Pithomyces chartarum and Myrothecium verrucaria proved to be toxic. Photosensitization was induced in sheep by dosing them with cultures of a P. chartarum isolate (GA10) obtained from Tribulus terrestris plants collected during an outbreak of geeldikkop in the Karoo. Thus for the first time a mechanism whereby T. terrestris plants can contribute to the causation of ovine hepatogenous photosensitivity was demonstrated. When cultures of GA10 equivalent to approximately 0,75--4,0 mg/kg sporidesmin were dosed at Onderstepoort Veterinary Research Institute to Highveld and Karoo sheep on a diet of lucerne, facial eczema was produced. Dosing the same cultures at levels equivalent to c. 1,0 mg/kg of sporidesmin in the Karoo resulted in lesions characteristic of both facial eczema and geeldikkop. Typical hepatic lesions of geeldikkop could be elicited by dosing GA10 at levels equivalent to c. 0,25--0,7 mg/kg of sporidesmin to Karoo sheep grazing on predominantly T. terrestris pastures in the Karoo. In the latter experiment geeldikkop was induced in the sheep on T. terrestris pastures, while those receiving identical doses on veld with little T. terrestris developed facial eczema. Geeldikkop, therefore, can be brought about by the ingestion of T. terrestris plants together with toxic cultures of P. chartarum. The plant appears not only to act as a vehicle for ingestion of spores, but also to interact with sporidesmin to induce lesions typical of geeldikkop, whereas sporidesmin alone results in facial eczema. Indications are that it can enhance the ability of sporidesmin to cause photosensitivity or, possibly, vice versa. The histopathological findings of these experiments are described in detail.