animals Article Pathological Study of Facial Eczema (Pithomycotoxicosis) in Sheep Miguel Fernández 1,2,* , Valentín Pérez 1,2 , Miguel Fuertes 3, Julio Benavides 2, José Espinosa 1,2 , Juan Menéndez 4,†, Ana L. García-Pérez 3 and M. Carmen Ferreras 1,2 1 Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, C/Prof. Pedro Cármenes s/n, E-24071 León, Spain;
[email protected] (V.P.);
[email protected] (J.E.);
[email protected] (M.C.F.) 2 Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (IGM), CSIC-Universidad de León, Finca Marzanas s/n, E-24346 León, Spain;
[email protected] 3 Department of Animal Health, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Parque Científico y Tecnológico de Bizkaia, P812, E-48160 Derio, Spain;
[email protected] (M.F.);
[email protected] (A.L.G.-P.) 4 Area de Sistemas de Producción Animal, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario, SERIDA, E-33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel.: +34-987-291232 † Current address: Centro Veterinario Albéitar, E-33204 Gijón, Spain. Simple Summary: Facial eczema (FE) is a secondary photosensitization disease of farm ruminants caused by the sporidesmin A, present in the spores of the saprophytic fungus Pithomyces chartarum. This study communicates an outbreak of ovine FE in Asturias (Spain) and characterizes the local immune response that may contribute to liver damage promoting cholestasis and progression Citation: Fernández, M.; Pérez, V.; towards fibrosis and cirrhosis. Animals showed clinical signs of photosensitivity and lower gain Fuertes, M.; Benavides, J.; Espinosa, J.; Menéndez, J.; García-Pérez, A.L.; of weight, loss of wool and crusting in the head for at least 6 months after the FE outbreak.