Polioencephalomalacia

Polioencephalomalacia (PEM), also referred to as cerebrocortical necrosis (CCN), is a neurological disease seen in ruminants that is caused by multiple factors, one of which is thiamine depletion in the body.

In addition to altered thiamine status, an association with high sulfur intake has been observed as a potential cause of PEM.

[1] Cattle, sheep, goat, and other ruminants that are diagnosed with PEM or pre-PEM suffer opisthotonus, cortical blindness, disoriented movement, and eventually fatality, if left untreated.

Thiaminase rich foods include different grains, fresh water fish, and ferns, all of which are often processed together to make feed concentrate.

[11] Early administration of thiamine may be curative, but if the lesion is more advanced, then surviving animals may remain partially blind and mentally dull.