Spontaneous mycotoxic nephropathy in Bulgarian chickens with unclarified mycotoxin aetiology

Abstract

-Histopathological, biochemical and toxicological investigations of tissues and blood of normally slaughtered chickens exhibiting different frequencies (1-2%, 40-50% and above 80%) of nephropathy changes (congested or pale and enlarged kidneys) at the slaughtering meat inspection were carried out to elucidate the aetiology of nephropathies of chickens encountered in Bulgaria. A close relationship was observed between the frequency of this nephropathy and the rate of nephrotoxic mycotoxin ochratoxin A in muscles, kidneys and livers of chickens, but the levels of ochratoxin A in corresponding feed samples (0.1-0.3 ppm) were significantly lower than the levels (2-4 ppm) required to reproduce such nephropathy. Clinicomorphological changes such as nervous symptoms, vascular and oedematous changes in various internal organs and the brain, and subcutaneous or liver and kidney haemorrhages in addition to known degenerative changes in the kidneys, liver and lymphoid organs differed from the classical description of the nephropathy made in Scandinavia. The conclusion is that the Bulgarian chicken nephropathy may have a multitoxic aetiology because it cannot be explained by the concentration of ochratoxin A alone. mycotoxic nephropathy / ochratoxicosis / mycotoxin / ochratoxin A / pathology Résumé -Néphropathie mycotoxique spontanée sans étiologie mycotoxique déterminée chez des poulets bulgares. Des études histopathologiques, biochimiques et toxicologiques des tissus et du sang de poulets montrant des fréquences variées (1-2 %, 40-50 % et supérieures à 80 %) de changements néphropathiques (reins congestionnés ou pâles et hypertrophiés) lors de l'inspection des viandes à l'abattoir, ont été entreprises afin de déterminer l'étiologie des néphropathies du poulet en Bulgarie. Une relation étroite a été observée entre la fréquence de cette néphropathie et le taux de la

Immunological status of the progeny of breeder hens kept on ochratoxin A (OTA)-contaminated feed

“…However, there has been a study that described a decrease in the body weights of progeny chicks obtained from breeder hens kept on OTA-contaminated rations (Choudhury et al, 1971). A decrease in the weight of immunological organs due to OTA feeding has been reported in broiler chicks (Singh et al, 1990;Stoev et al, 2002). It is possible that the noted decreases in the weights of immunological organs in this study are due to cytotoxic/necrotic effects of OTA residues in the eggs (data not shown) acting, in part, upon the developing organs of the chicks.…”

Toxico-Pathological Effects of In Ovo Inoculation of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in Chick Embryos and Subsequently in Hatched Chicks

“…Unfortunately, the literature is lacking information about the effect of in ovo OTA on the body and relative organ weights of developing chicks. However, studies made on OTA-fed chicks reported an increase in the weights of liver and kidneys (Hanif et al 2008;Stoev et al 2002) and a decrease in weights of bursa of Fabricius (Singh et al 1990;Gibson et al 1989). This increase in the weights of liver and kidneys is correlated with nephro-and hepatotoxic effects of OTA, resulting in the accumulation of inflammatory cells (Zahoor-ul-Hassan et al 2010).…”

Complex etiology and pathology of mycotoxic nephropathy in South African pigs

“…Penicillic acid (PA) is another mycotoxin produced by P. aurantiogriseum strains and some other fungi such as those of the Aspergillus ochraceus group, which are the major producers of OTA in the warmer climatic zones (Stoev et al 1998a;Stoev 2008a). The same mycotoxin was found to be also involved in mycotoxic nephropathy in animals (Stoev et al 2001(Stoev et al , 2002a. CIT is usually produced by P. citrinum, which can also be considered as a storage fungus.…”

“…Since its discovery, the disease has been named in different ways: nephrosis provoked by moulds, chronic interstitial fibrosis of kidneys, chronic interstitial nephritis, ochratoxicosis, mycotoxic nephropathy, etc. Some varieties were found with the manifestation of the disease, especially with the clinicomorphological picture, which in many cases is influenced by the combined nephrotoxic effect of several nephrotoxic mycotoxins (Stoev et al 1998a(Stoev et al , 2001(Stoev et al , 2002aStoev 2008b) as well as by some secondary bacterial infections as a result of pronounced immunosuppression in the affected animals (Stoev et al 2000a, b;Oswald et al 2003Oswald et al , 2005.…”