Clinical report of a Holstein's calf with ichthyosis

Abstract

Congenital ichthyosis is a disease associated with hair loss and the presence of horny plates in the epidermis, covering the whole skin. The leading cause of the disease in humans and animals is genetic disorders, and they can be found in mild and severe forms. In June 2015, a newly born calf of the Holstein breed was referred to the Livestock Veterinary Hospital internal ward, Shabestar, Iran. The calf's clinical symptoms included maternal alopecia, thickening, and fissure over large areas of the body, tough skin with thick horny scales and deep crack, lack of flexibility in the body parts (gluteal, knee, and shoulder areas), ectropion, eclabium, and microtia. The blood samples were taken from the calf's jugular vein to measure the hematological and biochemical parameters. After euthanizing the calf, the skin of different body regions was sampled for histopathological examination of skin lesions. Based on the results, the amounts of plasma parameters such as urea, triglyceride, glucose, alanine transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, phosphorus, and uric acid were increased. The leukocytosis and polycythemia were found in the hematology results, and histopathological analysis exhibited hypergranulosis and hyperkeratosis in the skin of affected areas. Ichthyosis is caused by the defect in the autosomal recessive gene and as an incurable disease; there is currently no cure for this deadly disease, and the livestock will be eliminated from the herd.

Keywords: Autosomal recessive; Calf; Hyperkeratosis; Ichthyosis; Iran.

Fig. 1

A) Alopecia and B) skin thickening and crack in a newly born calf of the Holstein breed

Fig. 2

A) Presence of horny epidermis and B) hyperkeratosis; C) collagen dysplasia (H & E, Scale bars = 200 μm); D) mild peri-vasculitis (H & E, Scale bar = 100 μm).