Environ Monit Assess DOI 10.1007/s10661-014-3713-x
Bovine calves as ideal bio-indicators for fluoridated drinking water and endemic osteo-dental fluorosis S. L. Choubisa
Received: 15 August 2013 / Accepted: 5 March 2014 # Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Abstract Relative susceptibility to fluoride (F) toxicosis in the form of osteo-dental fluorosis was observed in an observational survey of 2,747 mature and 887 immature domestic animals of diverse species living in areas with naturally fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water. These animals included buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), cattle (Bos taurus), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), horses (Equus caballus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Of these mature and immature animals, 899 (32.7 %) and 322 (36.3 %) showed evidence of dental fluorosis with varying grades, respectively. Their incisor teeth were stained with light to deep brownish color. On clinical examination, 31.2 % mature and 10.7 % immature animals revealed periosteal exostoses, intermittent lameness, and stiffness of tendons in the legs as signs of skeletal fluorosis. The maximum susceptibility to fluoride toxicosis was found in bovines (buffaloes and cattle) followed by equines (donkeys and horses), flocks (goats and sheep), and camelids (camels). The bovine calves were found to be more sensitive and highly susceptible to F toxicosis and revealed the maximum prevalence (92.2 %) of dental fluorosis. This indicates that bovine calves are less tolerant and give early sign of F poisoning (dental fluorosis) and therefore, they can be considered as bio-indicators for fluoridated water as well as for
S. L. Choubisa (*) Parasitology and Toxicology Research Laboratory, Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Government Meera Girls College, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India e-mail: [email protected]
endemicity of osteo-dental fluorosis. Causes for variation in susceptibility to F toxicosis (fluorosis) in various species of domestic animal are also discussed. Keywords Bovine calves . Bio-indicators . Camelids. Equines . Flocks . Fluoridated drinking water . Endemic osteo-dental fluorosis
Introduction The biological communities that are exposed to pollutants act as integrators of multiple past and present environmental effects in any ecosystem. This attribute makes them suitable to act as bio-indicators (Cranston et al. 1996) and indicate changes in condition and functioning of a system through change in their morphology/ physiology/genome organization etc. They may be used to understand the response, adaptation, and recovery of ecosystem and their inhabitants to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Jonson (1995) stated that ideal bio-indicators should provide an indication of changes, either at the ecosystem, population, or genetic level as well as provide an insight into potential causal mechanism. Those organisms that have wide tolerance tend to be less informative and are poor environmental health indicators. In aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, there are a number of vertebrate and invertebrate species that respond to physical or chemical changes in an ecosystem (Choubisa 1992, 2010a; Cranston et al. 1996; Druart et al. 2011; Kalisinska and PalczewskaKomsa 2011; Choubisa and Sheikh 2013).
Environ Monit Assess
It is well known that excess intake of fluoridated water causes health problems and is responsible for genesis of osteo-dental fluorosis in livestock as well as in human beings (Choubisa 1999; Choubisa 2001). In India, fluoride (F) content in drinking water of many states ranges more than 1.5 ppm, which is harmful to the body and damages the hard (teeth and bones) and soft tissues (W.H.O. 2002; Swarup and Dwivedi 2002). Although several workers have reported F concentration in drinking water and myriad of disorders due to its toxicity in man and animals (Swarup and Dwivedi 2002; Choubisa 2012a), none them worked out bioindicators that indicate the presence of F in water and give its early signs of poisoning or toxicosis in animals. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to ascertain bio-indicators in animals through the observation of relative susceptibility to osteo-dental fluorosis among mature and immature domestic herbivorous animals of diverse species living in areas having fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water.
Materials and methods The study from February 2009 to January 2012 was conducted in rural areas of Bikaner (Indian Thar Desert), Banswara, Dungarpur, Sirohi, and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan, India. In these villages mean F concentration in drinking water is >1.5 ppm and has already been reported (Choubisa et al. 1995; Hussain et al. 2000; Choubisa 2012b). Osteo- dental fluorosis was observed in 2,747 mature and 887 immature native animals, all of which had lived in these villages since birth. Included were buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), cattle (Bos taurus), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), horses (E. caballus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Animals below 3 years of age in cattle, buffaloes, horses, and donkeys; 5 years in camels; and 1 year in goats and sheep were considered immature. To derive estimates of the relative prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in bovines (cattle and buffaloes), equines (horses and donkeys), flocks (sheep and goats), and camelids (camels), house to house surveys
Table 1 Prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in mature and immature domestic animals living in areas with fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water Animals (spp.)
Mature animals
LN
DF (%)
SF (%)
Buffaloes (B. bubalis)
315/524 (60. 1)
308/524 (58.7)
Cattle (B. taurus)
356/613 (58.0)
354/613 (57.7)
671/1,137 (59.0)
662/1,137 (58.2)
42/130 (32.3)
38/130 (29.2)
++ ++
Immature animals DF (%)
SF (%)
+++
132/142 (92.2)
48/142 (33.8)
+++
147/167 (88.0)
38/167 (22.7)
279/309 (90.2)
86/309 (21.8)
24/63 (38.0)
6/63 (9.5)
Bovines:
Equines: Donkeys (E.asinus) Horses (E. caballus)
29/97 (29.8)
29/97 (29.8)
71/227 (31.2)
67/227 (29.5)
Goats (C. hircus)
72/580 (12.4)
60/580 (10.3)
Sheep (0. aries)
67/565 (11.8)
56/565 (9.9)
139/1,145 (12.1)
116/1,145 (10.1)
12/37 (32.4)
3/37 (8.1)
36/100 (36.0)
9/100 (10.0)
+
3/203 (1.4)
-/203 (0.0)
+
3/218 (1.3)
-/218 (0.0)
6/421 (1.4)
-/421 (0.0)
Flocks:
Camelids: Camels (C. dromedarius)
18/238 (7.5)
13/238 (5.4)
Grand total
899/2,747(32.7)
858/2,747(31.2)
+
1/57 (1.7)
-/57 (0.0)
322/887(36.3)
95/887(10.7)
DF dental fluorosis, LN lameness, SF skeletal fluorosis + mild; ++ moderate; +++ severe ANOVA analysis: Variation in DF counts between Mature and Immature; p=0.403 (Nonsignificant). Variation DF among animal species; p=0.0045 (Highly significant). Variation in SF counts between Mature and Immature; p=0.0034 (Highly significant). Variation SF among animal species; p=0.0044 (Highly significant)
Environ Monit Assess
were made in the morning and evening hours when the animals are generally available. The herds in the fields were also examined during the daytime. For dental fluorosis, the teeth of immature and mature animals were carefully examined for any sign of dental mottling; for skeletal fluorosis (osteofluorosis), poor body condition, lameness, reluctance to move or stiffness, skeletal deformities, bony exostoses, muscle wasting, a snapping sound from the feet during walking etc. were looked for (Shupe 1972; Singh and Swarup 1995). Simultaneously, animal owners were also asked for complaints such as colic, allergy (urticaria), repeated abortions/miscarriages, abnormality in heat period, intermittent diarrhea, emaciation etc. in the animals. Similar observations were also made on healthy animals in nonfluoridated areas. Chronic F intoxication in the form of osteo-dental and nonskeletal fluorosis assessments were based on clinical examinations (Udall 1954; Shupe 1980; Choubisa 2010b, c).
Observations and discussion Dental fluorosis Out of the 2,747 mature and 887 immature domestic animals of either sex examined, 899 (32.7 %) and 322 (36.3 %), respectively, showed evidence of dental fluorosis with varying grades. Their front teeth, incisors were bilaterally and horizontally (in bovines) and vertically (in equines, flocks, and camels) stained with light to deep brownish color. The highest prevalence rate, 90.2 % of dental mottling, was observed in bovine
Fig. 1 Severe form of dental fluorosis (deep brownish coloration) in a cattle calf
Fig. 2 Severe form of dental fluorosis in a
Bovine calves as ideal bio-indicators for fluoridated drinking water and endemic osteo-dental fluorosis S. L. Choubisa
Received: 15 August 2013 / Accepted: 5 March 2014 # Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
Abstract Relative susceptibility to fluoride (F) toxicosis in the form of osteo-dental fluorosis was observed in an observational survey of 2,747 mature and 887 immature domestic animals of diverse species living in areas with naturally fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water. These animals included buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), cattle (Bos taurus), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), horses (Equus caballus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Of these mature and immature animals, 899 (32.7 %) and 322 (36.3 %) showed evidence of dental fluorosis with varying grades, respectively. Their incisor teeth were stained with light to deep brownish color. On clinical examination, 31.2 % mature and 10.7 % immature animals revealed periosteal exostoses, intermittent lameness, and stiffness of tendons in the legs as signs of skeletal fluorosis. The maximum susceptibility to fluoride toxicosis was found in bovines (buffaloes and cattle) followed by equines (donkeys and horses), flocks (goats and sheep), and camelids (camels). The bovine calves were found to be more sensitive and highly susceptible to F toxicosis and revealed the maximum prevalence (92.2 %) of dental fluorosis. This indicates that bovine calves are less tolerant and give early sign of F poisoning (dental fluorosis) and therefore, they can be considered as bio-indicators for fluoridated water as well as for
S. L. Choubisa (*) Parasitology and Toxicology Research Laboratory, Post Graduate Department of Zoology, Government Meera Girls College, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India e-mail: [email protected]
endemicity of osteo-dental fluorosis. Causes for variation in susceptibility to F toxicosis (fluorosis) in various species of domestic animal are also discussed. Keywords Bovine calves . Bio-indicators . Camelids. Equines . Flocks . Fluoridated drinking water . Endemic osteo-dental fluorosis
Introduction The biological communities that are exposed to pollutants act as integrators of multiple past and present environmental effects in any ecosystem. This attribute makes them suitable to act as bio-indicators (Cranston et al. 1996) and indicate changes in condition and functioning of a system through change in their morphology/ physiology/genome organization etc. They may be used to understand the response, adaptation, and recovery of ecosystem and their inhabitants to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Jonson (1995) stated that ideal bio-indicators should provide an indication of changes, either at the ecosystem, population, or genetic level as well as provide an insight into potential causal mechanism. Those organisms that have wide tolerance tend to be less informative and are poor environmental health indicators. In aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, there are a number of vertebrate and invertebrate species that respond to physical or chemical changes in an ecosystem (Choubisa 1992, 2010a; Cranston et al. 1996; Druart et al. 2011; Kalisinska and PalczewskaKomsa 2011; Choubisa and Sheikh 2013).
Environ Monit Assess
It is well known that excess intake of fluoridated water causes health problems and is responsible for genesis of osteo-dental fluorosis in livestock as well as in human beings (Choubisa 1999; Choubisa 2001). In India, fluoride (F) content in drinking water of many states ranges more than 1.5 ppm, which is harmful to the body and damages the hard (teeth and bones) and soft tissues (W.H.O. 2002; Swarup and Dwivedi 2002). Although several workers have reported F concentration in drinking water and myriad of disorders due to its toxicity in man and animals (Swarup and Dwivedi 2002; Choubisa 2012a), none them worked out bioindicators that indicate the presence of F in water and give its early signs of poisoning or toxicosis in animals. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to ascertain bio-indicators in animals through the observation of relative susceptibility to osteo-dental fluorosis among mature and immature domestic herbivorous animals of diverse species living in areas having fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water.
Materials and methods The study from February 2009 to January 2012 was conducted in rural areas of Bikaner (Indian Thar Desert), Banswara, Dungarpur, Sirohi, and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan, India. In these villages mean F concentration in drinking water is >1.5 ppm and has already been reported (Choubisa et al. 1995; Hussain et al. 2000; Choubisa 2012b). Osteo- dental fluorosis was observed in 2,747 mature and 887 immature native animals, all of which had lived in these villages since birth. Included were buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), cattle (Bos taurus), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), horses (E. caballus), goats (Capra hircus), and sheep (Ovis aries). Animals below 3 years of age in cattle, buffaloes, horses, and donkeys; 5 years in camels; and 1 year in goats and sheep were considered immature. To derive estimates of the relative prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in bovines (cattle and buffaloes), equines (horses and donkeys), flocks (sheep and goats), and camelids (camels), house to house surveys
Table 1 Prevalence of dental and skeletal fluorosis in mature and immature domestic animals living in areas with fluoridated (>1.5 ppm F) drinking water Animals (spp.)
Mature animals
LN
DF (%)
SF (%)
Buffaloes (B. bubalis)
315/524 (60. 1)
308/524 (58.7)
Cattle (B. taurus)
356/613 (58.0)
354/613 (57.7)
671/1,137 (59.0)
662/1,137 (58.2)
42/130 (32.3)
38/130 (29.2)
++ ++
Immature animals DF (%)
SF (%)
+++
132/142 (92.2)
48/142 (33.8)
+++
147/167 (88.0)
38/167 (22.7)
279/309 (90.2)
86/309 (21.8)
24/63 (38.0)
6/63 (9.5)
Bovines:
Equines: Donkeys (E.asinus) Horses (E. caballus)
29/97 (29.8)
29/97 (29.8)
71/227 (31.2)
67/227 (29.5)
Goats (C. hircus)
72/580 (12.4)
60/580 (10.3)
Sheep (0. aries)
67/565 (11.8)
56/565 (9.9)
139/1,145 (12.1)
116/1,145 (10.1)
12/37 (32.4)
3/37 (8.1)
36/100 (36.0)
9/100 (10.0)
+
3/203 (1.4)
-/203 (0.0)
+
3/218 (1.3)
-/218 (0.0)
6/421 (1.4)
-/421 (0.0)
Flocks:
Camelids: Camels (C. dromedarius)
18/238 (7.5)
13/238 (5.4)
Grand total
899/2,747(32.7)
858/2,747(31.2)
+
1/57 (1.7)
-/57 (0.0)
322/887(36.3)
95/887(10.7)
DF dental fluorosis, LN lameness, SF skeletal fluorosis + mild; ++ moderate; +++ severe ANOVA analysis: Variation in DF counts between Mature and Immature; p=0.403 (Nonsignificant). Variation DF among animal species; p=0.0045 (Highly significant). Variation in SF counts between Mature and Immature; p=0.0034 (Highly significant). Variation SF among animal species; p=0.0044 (Highly significant)
Environ Monit Assess
were made in the morning and evening hours when the animals are generally available. The herds in the fields were also examined during the daytime. For dental fluorosis, the teeth of immature and mature animals were carefully examined for any sign of dental mottling; for skeletal fluorosis (osteofluorosis), poor body condition, lameness, reluctance to move or stiffness, skeletal deformities, bony exostoses, muscle wasting, a snapping sound from the feet during walking etc. were looked for (Shupe 1972; Singh and Swarup 1995). Simultaneously, animal owners were also asked for complaints such as colic, allergy (urticaria), repeated abortions/miscarriages, abnormality in heat period, intermittent diarrhea, emaciation etc. in the animals. Similar observations were also made on healthy animals in nonfluoridated areas. Chronic F intoxication in the form of osteo-dental and nonskeletal fluorosis assessments were based on clinical examinations (Udall 1954; Shupe 1980; Choubisa 2010b, c).
Observations and discussion Dental fluorosis Out of the 2,747 mature and 887 immature domestic animals of either sex examined, 899 (32.7 %) and 322 (36.3 %), respectively, showed evidence of dental fluorosis with varying grades. Their front teeth, incisors were bilaterally and horizontally (in bovines) and vertically (in equines, flocks, and camels) stained with light to deep brownish color. The highest prevalence rate, 90.2 % of dental mottling, was observed in bovine
Fig. 1 Severe form of dental fluorosis (deep brownish coloration) in a cattle calf
Fig. 2 Severe form of dental fluorosis in a
