A Histologic Study on Growth Promoter Target Organs of Slaughtered Beef in Molise Region (Italy)

Abstract

ABSTRACT. A gross pathology and histological investigation was carried out on bovine target organs of anabolic substances in the Molise Region (Italy). One hundred forty-four bovines (12-24 months old, 123 males and 21 females) were included in the survey. An antemortem assessment of their behavior and clinical examination were performed. After slaughter, samples of prostate, Cowper's glands, Bartholin's glands, mammary gland, ovaries, thymus and thyroid were collected, inspected and processed for histopathology, as suggested in the guidelines of the Italian national program for residue surveillance (PNR). Overall, 15.3% of the examined animals were classified as "suspect," 44.4% were classified as "uncertain," and the remaining 40.3% were classified as "negative." The most frequent lesion was a severe thymus atrophy with fat infiltration (15.4% of males and 14.3% of females), strongly suggesting the illegal use of corticosteroids.

Set-up of a multivariate approach based on serum biomarkers as an alternative strategy for the screening evaluation of the potential abuse of growth promoters in veal calves

“…thymus and prostate or bulbourethral glands) were observed in five animals. A similar quali-quantitative pattern was reported in two different histological screening surveys conducted in northern and southern Italy, respectively (Regione Piemonte 2009 ; Imbimbo et al 2012 ). As regards the results of the chemical analyses, none of the 24 serum and urine samples was certified as legally ‘non-compliant’ with respect to any of the investigated analytes.…”

“…Based on the official results of samples taken for analysis by member states during the period 2005–10, a low incidence (around 0.2%) of non-compliances for illegal growth promoters has been reported (EFSA 2013 ). However, the wide availability of anabolic substances on the black market, the seizures of growth-promoting preparations by veterinary officers or the police, and the results of histological screenings of target organs would point to a more widespread use of anabolic agents in meat cattle production than that emerging from the official figures (Courtheyn et al 2002 ; Cacciatore et al 2009 ; Stephany 2010 ; Imbimbo et al 2012 ). Such a discrepancy may be explained by the use of cocktails of different active principles, each at very low dosage, or of drugs retaining the growth-promoting effects of a given class (e.g.…”

Effects and detection of Nandrosol and ractopamine administration in veal calves

“…In addition, the prostates of treated veal calves showed vacuolar degeneration that could be ascribed to β-agonist RA; in the same way RA could be responsible of urethral epithelium hyperplasia (Groot et al, 1998, Catalano et al, 2012. However, these effects are not specific of β-agonist treatment, since also an estrogen administration may induce similar lesions (Biolatti et al, 2003, Imbimbo et al, 2012.…”

“…The scientific community promotes the use of new approaches of investigation, including direct and indirect methods of analysis (Nebbia et al, 2011). Recently, the Italian National Residues Monitoring Plan included histological test as a screening method to detect target organ alterations induced by administration of growth promoters (Biolatti et al, 2003, Imbimbo et al, 2012. Furthermore, new biological tests, based on alterations induced by growth promoters on transcriptomics or proteomics, were developed for specific target tissues or biological fluids.…”

The Italian strategy to fight illegal treatment with growth promoters: Results of the 2017-2019 histological monitoring plan

“…To achieve this goal, histological analyses were performed on a statistically significant number of slaughtered animals by the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institutes (IIZZSS) official laboratories. The histopathological examination can detect lesions induced by sexual hormones and glucocorticoids in bovines target organs (i.e., sexual accessory glands and thymus) (Groot et al, 2007, Imbimbo et al, 2012. Sexual hormones are known to cause squamous metaplasia in the epithelium of sexual accessory glands (Pezzolato et al, 2013) while glucocorticoid cause atrophy in thoracic thymus cortex (Bozzetta et al, 2011;Zanardello et al, 2018).…”