ABOUT THE TOXICOSIS CAUSED BY BLUE-GREEN- ALGAE

Different species of blue-green algae, growing in large amounts under certain conditions in fresh-waters, can produce toxins in such quantit ies that may endanger the health of domestic animals and wildlife. Bas ed on literature data, mechanism of action of hepatotoxins and neuroto xins of such an origin, the clinical symptoms, pathological and histop athological alterations, as well an possibilities of the laboratory di agnosis have been summarized according to practical point of views. A separate chapter has treated the possible connections between the alga l bloom caused by blue-green algae and causal death of fish and water fowls. A case from the practice has also been reported when many hundr eds of grazing cattle fell sick with clinical signs of restlessness, s alivation, lachrymation, tremor, difficult movement. Death was not obs erved. Analysis of the environmental conditions suggested that the dis ease was connected with the algal bloom caused by blue-green algae of a small lakelet, serving for drinking of animals. Great amounts of Ana baena vigueieri, as well Oscillatoria granulata were demonstrated by t he microscopic investigation of the water. The suspension of algae cau sed slight dyspnoea and faintness without death in intraperitoneally i noculated mice. Presumably, the disease of cattle was caused by the ne urotoxin produced by blue-green algae.