<i>Acer pseudoplatanus</i>: A Potential Risk of Poisoning for Several Herbivore Species
Benoît Renaud,
Caroline-Julia Kruse,
Anne-Christine François,
Lisa Grund,
Carolin Bunert,
Lucie Brisson,
François Boemer,
Gilbert Gault,
Barbara Ghislain,
Thierry Petitjean,
Pascal Gustin,
Dominique-Marie Votion
Affiliations
Benoît Renaud
Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Caroline-Julia Kruse
Department of Functional Sciences, Physiology and Sport Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Anne-Christine François
Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Lisa Grund
Der Grüne Zoo Wuppertal, 42117 Wuppertal, Germany
Carolin Bunert
Zoo Duisburg gGmbH, 47058 Duisburg, Germany
Lucie Brisson
Zoo de Beauval, 41110 St. Aignan, France
François Boemer
Biochemical Genetics Laboratory, Human Genetics, CHU Sart Tilman, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Gilbert Gault
USC 1233 & Centre National d’Informations Toxicologiques Vétérinaires (CNITV), 69280 Lyon, France
Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Dominique-Marie Votion
Department of Functional Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
Acer pseudoplatanus is a worldwide-distributed tree which contains toxins, among them hypoglycin A (HGA). This toxin is known to be responsible for poisoning in various species, including humans, equids, Père David’s deer and two-humped camels. We hypothesized that any herbivore pasturing with A. pseudoplatanus in their vicinity may be at risk for HGA poisoning. To test this hypothesis, we surveyed the HGA exposure from A. pseudoplatanus in species not yet described as being at risk. Animals in zoological parks were the major focus, as they are at high probability to be exposed to A. pseudoplatanus in enclosures. We also searched for a toxic metabolite of HGA (i.e., methylenecyclopropylacetyl-carnitine; MCPA-carnitine) in blood and an alteration of the acylcarnitines profile in HGA-positive animals to document the potential risk of declaring clinical signs. We describe for the first instance cases of HGA poisoning in Bovidae. Two gnus (Connochaetes taurinus taurinus) exposed to A. pseudoplatanus in their enclosure presented severe clinical signs, serum HGA and MCPA-carnitine and a marked modification of the acylcarnitines profile. In this study, even though all herbivores were exposed to A. pseudoplatanus, proximal fermenters species seemed less susceptible to HGA poisoning. Therefore, a ruminal transformation of HGA is hypothesized. Additionally, we suggest a gradual alteration of the fatty acid metabolism in case of HGA poisoning and thus the existence of subclinical cases.
