Effect of aflatoxin and diacetoxyscirpenol in ewe lambs

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology 1995-03, Vol.54 (3), p.325-330
• Main Authors: Harvey, R.B. (USDA, ARS, Food Animal Protection Research Laboratory, College Station, TX.), Edrington, T.S, Kubena, L.F, Elissalde, M.H, Corrier, D.E, Rottinghaus, G.E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AFLATOXINAS; AFLATOXINE; AFLATOXINS; Aflatoxins - administration & dosage; Aflatoxins - blood; Aflatoxins - toxicity; AGNEAU; ALIMENT POUR ANIMAUX; ALIMENTACION DE LOS ANIMALES; ALIMENTATION DES ANIMAUX; Analysis of Variance; Animal Feed - toxicity; ANIMAL FEEDING; Animals; BIOCHEMISTRY; BIOCHIMIE; Biological and medical sciences; BIOQUIMICA; Blood Proteins - drug effects; Blood Urea Nitrogen; Body Weight - drug effects; BREBIS; Cholesterol - blood; COMBINATION; CONTAMINACION; CONTAMINATION; CORDERO; Eating - drug effects; Enzymes - blood; EWES; FEED CO-CONTAMINATION; FEEDS; Female; Food Contamination; Fusarium; INGESTION TOXICITY; Iron - blood; LAMBS; Liver - drug effects; Medical sciences; Mycotoxins - administration & dosage; Mycotoxins - toxicity; OVEJA; PIENSOS; Plant poisons toxicology; Random Allocation; Sheep - blood; Sheep - growth & development; TOXICIDAD POR INGESTION; TOXICITE PAR INGESTION; Toxicology; TRICHOTHECENE; TRICHOTHECENES; Trichothecenes - administration & dosage; Trichothecenes - blood; Trichothecenes - toxicity
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00195100

Aflatoxins are polysubstituted bisfuranoscoumarins that are secondary fungal metabolites produced by the flavus-parasiticus group of the genus Aspergillus. The toxic effects of aflatoxin (AF) in livestock have been well documented and may include hepatotoxicosis, immunosuppression, reduced performance, oncogenesis, or death. Lambs are sensitive to AF and decreased performance, serum biochemical alterations, pathologic hepatic lesions, decreased immune function, and death are effects of AF which can be of economic importance. Diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS) is a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by several Fusarium species that has been reported in cereal grains, feeds, and agricultural commodities worldwide. Like T-2 toxin, DAS has been described as radiomimetic with regard to lymphoid tissues and gastrointestinal epithelium, as a contact necrotizing agent for lingual and buccal mucosa, and an inhibitor of DNA and protein synthesis. It is unknown how sensitive sheep are to DAS, however, T-2 toxin induces toxicity in lambs and DAS and T-2 toxin are very similar in their chemical structure and have similar toxicity for most species of animals. It is a common practice to use multiple grain sources in sheep diets and feeding diets contaminated with both AF and DAS is a possibility. The objective of the present study was to investigate the toxicity of AF and DAS and to describe the major effects of feeding diets co-contaminated with AF and DAS to growing lambs.