Teratological study of Fischer rats fed diet containing added vomitoxin.

Vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol), a tricothecene mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, has been detected in corn, wheat and other cereal grains intended for consumption by man and by animals used for food. The teratogenic potential of vomitoxin administered in the diet was studied by feeding a vomitoxin-containing certified rat feed ad lib. to groups of Fischer 344 rats during the entire course of pregnancy. The vomitoxin was added to the diet at a level of 0.0, 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0 ppm. There were no overt signs of toxicity in the dams, and no statistically significant differences in feed consumption at any level compared to the control group. Dams in the two groups receiving the highest levels of vomitoxin tended to weigh less at term than other females, and after removal of the pups and uterus their carcass weights were significantly lower than those in the control group. Term foetuses were examined by standard teratological techniques. Male and female pup weights were unaffected by the maternal treatment. Vomitoxin had no statistically significant adverse effects on the incidence of gross, skeletal or visceral abnormalities. Neither dams nor pups showed any significant histopathological changes.