Nineteen mycotoxins tested on chicken embryos.

Embryos of White Leghorn Fowls incubated for 40 h were injected subgerminally with 19 mycotoxins dissolved in 30% ethanol to provide a range of doses. Embryonic death as well as the incidence of caudal-trunk abnormalities were determined after a further 24 h incubation. Of the substances tested, the maximum toxic effects were exerted by T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol which produced 100% embryonic mortality at doses as low as 0.01 microgram. 100 micrograms of griseofulvin, on the other hand, were needed to achieve the same effect. Abnormal development of the caudal trunk was observed after T-2 toxin and diacetoxyscirpenol (0.001 micrograms each) and griseofulvin (10 micrograms) administration. Comparison of these data with results published for both cell and tissue culture techniques and for classical rodent acute toxicity tests reveals a high predictive value for the Chick Embryotoxicity Screening Test (CHEST I), at least for mycotoxins.