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Lethal trait A46
Synonym(s): autosomal recessive disorder acrodermatitis enteropathica diarrhea diarrhoea skin lesion immunodeficiency growth retardation
Introduction
- Cause: lethal trait A46 is an autosomal recessive condition of cattle which results in a failure in absorption of zinc from the intestinal tract.
- Signs: exanthema and loss of hair on the legs and ventrum, parakeratosis of the face, diarrhea, rhinitis, respiratory tract infections and ill thrift.
- Diagnosis: serum zinc concentrations, clinical response to oral supplementation, genetic evaluation.
- Treatment: daily oral zinc supplementation.
- Prognosis: animals will invariably die without daily oral zinc supplementation.
Presenting signs
- Diarrhea.
- Excessive lacrimation.
- Poor suckle reflex.
- Drooling.
- Nasal discharge.
- Hyperkeratosis and crusting dermatitis on the head, ventrum and joints.
- Growth retardation and ill thrift.
- Rhinitis.
- Respiratory tract infections.
- Ulceration of the oral mucosa.
Acute presentation
- Poor suckle reflex.
- Bovine respiratory disease.
- Diarrhea.
Geographic incidence
- Worldwide.
Age predisposition
- Lethal trait A46 is a congenital condition in cattle.
- Skin lesions usually appear at 4-8 weeks of age, and should treatment not be instigated, infected individuals will die within 4-8 weeks of clinical onset.
Breed/Species predisposition
- The disease was first reported in Black Pied Friesian Friesian cattle but has subsequently been found in Shorthorn Shorthorn, Angus Aberdeen Angus and Fleckvieh cattle.
Cost considerations
- Morbidity, mortality and poor performance in affected individuals.
Pathogenesis
Etiology
- Bovine hereditary zinc deficiency (lethal trait A46) is an autosomal recessive condition of cattle.
Predisposing factors
General
- Presence of autosomal recessive genes responsible for disease, being carried in the breeding population.
Specific
- Autosomal recessive genes carried by parents of infected individual.
Pathophysiology
- A mutation in the SLC39A4 gene, which encodes a zinc intestinal transporter, prevents normal absorption of zinc Zinc: overview from the intestinal tract.
Timecourse
- Lethal trait A46 is a congenital disorder of cattle.
- Skin lesions usually appear at 4-8 weeks of age and without treatment, infected individuals will die within 4-8 weeks of clinical onset.
Diagnosis
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Treatment
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Prevention
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Outcomes
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Further Reading
Publications
Refereed Papers
- Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
- Langenmayer M C, Jung S, Majzoub-Altweck M et al (2018) Zinc deficiency-like syndrome in Fleckvieh calves: clinical and pathological findings and differentiation from bovine hereditary zinc deficiency. J Vet Intern Med 32 (2), 853-859 PubMed.
- Gholap P N, Kale D S & Sirothia A R (2014) Genetic diseases in cattle: a review. Res J Anim Vet Fish Sci 2 (2), 24-33 ResearchGate.
- Machen M, Montgomery T, Holland R et al (1996) Bovine hereditary zinc deficiency: lethal trait A46. J Vet Diagn Invest 8 (2), 219-227 PubMed.
- Agerholm J S, Basse A & Christensen K (1993) Investigations on the occurrence of hereditary diseases in the Danish cattle population 1989-1991. Acta Vet Scand 34 (3), 245-253 PubMed.