T-2 Toxin: Incidence and Toxicity in Poultry

Abstract

T-2 toxin is the most toxic type A trichothecene mycotoxin. It is the secondary metabolite of the Fusarium fungi, and is common in grain and animal feed. Toxic effects have been shown both in experimental animals and in livestock. It has been implicated in several outbreaks of human mycotoxicoses. Toxic effects in poultry include inhibition of protein, DNA, and RNA synthesis, cytotoxicity, immunomodulation, cell lesions in the digestive tract, organs and skin, neural disturbances and low performance in poultry production (decreased weight gain, egg production, and hatchability). Concentrations of T-2 toxin in feed are usually low, and its immunosuppressive effects and secondary infections often make diagnosis difficult. If at the onset of the disease, a change in diet leads to health and performance improvements in animals, this may point to mycotoxin poisoning. Regular control of grain and feed samples is a valuable preventive measure, and it is accurate only if representative samples are tested. This article reviews the incidence and toxic effects of T-2 toxin in poultry.

Fusarium spp. Contamination of Wheat, Maize, Soybean, and Pea Grain in Croatia

“…The adverse effects of these two mycotoxins are well known in animals (5,7,(32)(33)(34), and their presence in soybean or pea intended for human consumption could human health at risk. This calls for further research and surveillance of Fusarium mycotoxins in crops other than cereals in Croatia.…”

“…FUM is a cancer-promoting hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic toxin (5,6), and can cause fatal animal diseases like leukoencephalomalacia in horses and pulmonary oedema in swine (5). Trichothecenes like DON, NIV, DAS, HT2, or T2 are haematotoxic, cytotoxic, immunotoxic and embryotoxic (7,33), and can cause reduced growth, postnatal mortality, foetal skeleton abnormalities, leucopenia, intrauterine growth retardation, pulmonary adenomas, or epithelial hyperplasia in animals (33,34).…”

Effects of Long-term Feeding of Graded Levels of T-2 Toxin-contaminated Diets on Performance, Some Lipid Peroxide and Glutathione Redox Status Parameters of Broiler Chickens

“…The presence and quantity of substrates in the grains (e.g. starch), and the presence of oxygen are needed for the growth of the mold (Sokolovic et al, 2008). T-2 toxin is one of the most frequently occuring trichothecene mycotoxin in temperate climate (Binder et al, 2007), which inhibits protein and DNA synthesis in eukaryotic cells (Holladay et al, 1995).…”

Mycotoxins in Poultry

“…Compared to the related DON, T-2 toxin is less frequent in crops. Some reports indicate that trichothecenes such as DON, nivalenol and fusarenon X are more frequent (57%, 16% and 10% of tested grain samples) in European grain samples than other trichothecenes like T-2 toxin (20%), HT-2 toxin (14%), T-2 tetraol (6%), neosolaniol (1%), DAS (4%), MAS (1%) [47].…”