An evaluation was made of an interdigital skin test to assess cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity (CBH), mediated by thymic (T) cells, in chickens less than 2 wk of age. Hubbard-by-Hubbard roosters 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days of age were injected intradermally in the interdigital skin between Digits 3 and 4 of the right foot with 100 micrograms or 200 micrograms of phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) in .10 mL of physiological saline solution (PSS). The left foot was injected with PSS and served as a control. The CBH response elicited by the PHA-P was evaluated by determining interdigital skin thickness before injection and at 12 and 24 h after injection. The effect of treatment with the T-cell suppressing drugs dexamethasone and cyclosporin on the CBH response was determined in chickens treated daily for 4 or 5 days prior to skin testing at 5 or 10 days of age. Significant increases (P less than .005) of .64 to .88 mm occurred in the mean, interdigital skin thickness for all age groups of chickens at 12 and 24 h after injection of 100 or 200 micrograms of PHA-P. The PHA-P-elicited. CBH response was significantly suppressed by treatment with dexamethasone (P less than .005) or cyclosporin (P less than .05). The results indicated that the interdigital skin test is a rapid and simple means of assessing normal and suppressed immune responses in chickens at 3 to 14 days of age.
The progression of aflatoxicosis was evaluated in young broiler chickens (Hubbard X Hubbard). The experimental design consisted of four dietary treatments of aflatoxin (0, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0 micrograms of aflatoxin/g of feed, ppm) and 11 replicates of 10 broilers/replicate. The broilers were maintained in electrically heated batteries with feed and water available ad libitum from hatching to 3 weeks of age. The broilers were weighed, bled, killed by cervical dislocation, and necropzied at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 17, and 21 days of age. Body weights were significantly decreased by 5.0 ppm aflatoxin at 6 days of age and by 2.5 ppm at 17 days of age. Aflatoxin induced a significant increase in the relative weight of the proventriculus, gizzard, spleen, and kidney. Liver atrophy was indicated in the early stages of aflatoxicosis by a decrease in the relative weight of this organ. As aflatoxicosis progressed, hepatomegaly became apparent due to lipid accumulation in the liver. Packed-cell volume and hemoglobin levels were significantly decreased by 5.0 ppm aflatoxin at 12 days and by 2.5 ppm aflatoxin at 21 days of age. Serum levels of albumin and total protein were significantly reduced at 5.0 and 2.5 ppm aflatoxin by 3 and 6 days of age, respectively. Serum levels of uric acid, triglycerides, and cholesterol were significantly decreased from control values from 12 through 21 days of age by 5.0 ppm aflatoxin and, to a lesser extent, by 2.5 ppm aflatoxin. The activity of serum lactic dehydrogenase was significantly decreased at all aflatoxin treatment levels from 12 through 21 days of age.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (HSCAS) was incorporated into diets (.5%) containing 3.5 mg of aflatoxin (AF) per kg and 8.0 mg of T-2 toxin (T-2) per kg, singly, and in combination. Male broiler chicks (n = 480) were provided with feed and water for ad libitum consumption from 1 to 21 days of age. Body weight gains were significantly depressed by AF and T-2, singly, and further decreased by the combination of the two toxins. Efficiency of feed utilization was not affected. The AF alone and the AF plus T-2 combination caused increases in relative liver, kidney, proventriculus, gizzard, spleen, and pancreas weights. Treatment-related changes in hematological and serum biochemical values and enzyme activities were observed. Oral lesions were observed only in chicks receiving the T-2 diets. The HSCAS fed singly did not alter any of the parameters measured but it did diminish the toxicity of AF for many parameters but did not appear to alter the toxicity of T-2. Addition of HSCAS to the AF plus T-2 combination diet diminished some of the effects of the toxin combination. These findings indicate that HSCAS can diminish many of the adverse effects of dietary AF in the chicken, but it has no effect on T-2 toxicity.
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