Elaroussi M A, Mohamed F R, El Barkouky E M, Atta A M, Abdou A M, Hatab M H
Biological Applications Department, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Abou-Zaabal, Egypt.
Avian Pathol. 2006 Aug;35(4):263-9. doi: 10.1080/03079450600817115.
This study describes the toxicity signs that developed when the diet of male broiler chickens was artificially contaminated with different levels of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A (OTA). Chicks were assigned randomly to three groups of 80 chicks that were fed a diet containing 0 parts per billion (ppb) (control, group 1), 400 ppb (group 2) or 800 ppb (group 3) OTA from day 1 to 5 weeks of age. Signs of ochratoxicosis were assessed on the basis of changes in the following criteria: body weight, relative weights of two representative internal organs (gizzard and thymus), feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, mortality, thyroid activity, blood profile, humoral and cell mediated immunity. Feeding OTA at levels of 400 and 800 ppb (groups 2 and 3) significantly decreased the body weight, thymus weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and thyroxine concentration (P < 0.05). The OTA groups developed anaemia manifested by a significant decrease in the red blood cell count, packed cell volume percentage and haemoglobin concentration (P < 0.05). By the end of the experiment both groups that received OTA showed a 37% reduction in red blood cell count compared with the control group. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the white blood cell count, humoral immune response and cell-mediated immunity was found in both groups fed ochratoxin compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The reduction in the above parameters was more noticeable with time and was proportional to the level of OTA exposure. A significant increase in relative gizzard weight, cumulative mortality and triiodothyronine concentration was found in OTA-fed chicks (P < 0.05). These data provide a description of ochratoxicosis in broilers that should be useful in diagnosis and in improved understanding of the practical implications on broiler performance and health, a problem that can threaten the poultry industry.
本研究描述了雄性肉鸡日粮被不同水平的霉菌毒素赭曲霉毒素A（OTA）人工污染时出现的毒性迹象。雏鸡被随机分为三组，每组80只，从1日龄到5周龄分别饲喂含0十亿分之一（ppb）（对照组，第1组）、400 ppb（第2组）或800 ppb（第3组）OTA的日粮。根据以下标准的变化评估赭曲霉毒素中毒的迹象：体重、两个代表性内脏器官（砂囊和胸腺）的相对重量、采食量、饲料转化率、死亡率、甲状腺活性、血液指标、体液免疫和细胞介导免疫。饲喂400和800 ppb水平OTA（第2组和第3组）显著降低了体重、胸腺重量、采食量、饲料转化率和甲状腺素浓度（P<0.05）。OTA组出现贫血，表现为红细胞计数、血细胞压积百分比和血红蛋白浓度显著降低（P<0.05）。到实验结束时，接受OTA的两组与对照组相比红细胞计数降低了37%。此外，与对照组相比，饲喂赭曲霉毒素的两组白细胞计数、体液免疫反应和细胞介导免疫均显著降低（P<0.05）。上述参数的降低随时间更明显，且与OTA暴露水平成正比。OTA饲喂的雏鸡砂囊相对重量、累积死亡率和三碘甲状腺原氨酸浓度显著增加（P<0.05）。这些数据描述了肉鸡的赭曲霉毒素中毒情况，这对于诊断以及更好地理解对肉鸡生产性能和健康的实际影响应该是有用的，这个问题可能会威胁到家禽业。
