Acute Oral Ochratoxicosis in Day-Old White Leghorns, Turkeys and Japanese Quail

Abstract

The comparative acute, oral toxicity of ochratoxin A for three day-old avian species is presented. The seven-day LD50 value for White Leghorns was calculated to be 3.4 +/-0.19 mgm./kg., for turkeys to be 5.9 +/- 0.72 mgm./kg., and for Japanese quail to be 16.5 +/- 0.56 mgm./kg., body weight. The dose-response curves are linear and parallel through one standard deviation on either side of the LD50 when log-dose is plotted against probit for survivors. It is suggested that the mechanism of action of ochratoxin A is similar in the three species, though the potency differs. The reduction in weight gain of Leghorn survivors was proportional to dose, and was observed in two separate traials over an overall dosage range from 0.2 mgm./kg. to 5 mgm./kg. The turkeys showed only a slight reduction in weight gain at doses less than 4mgm./kg., a more marked reduction being observed at higher dose levels. The quail did not show reduction of weight gain at dose levels below 10.9 mgm./kg., though the reduction was proportional to dose at higher levels. All birds dying of acute ochratoxicosis revealed a progression of symptoms from listlessness, huddling, occassionally diarrhoea, ataxia, prostration and death. Viscereal gout was observed at necropsy of the Leghorns.

Individual and combined effects of ochratoxin A andSalmonella entericaserovar Gallinarum infection on pathological changes in broiler chickens

“…The changes in the liver and kidneys of broiler chicks fed OA in the present study are similar to those reported by Huff et al (1974Huff et al ( , 1975, Prior et al (1976), Dwivedi & Burns (1984a), Mohiuddin et al (1992) and Sandhu et al (1995). Gross and histopathological changes in the liver and kidneys recorded following S. Gallinarum infection were also similar to those reported by Chishti et al (1985), Kaushik et al (1986), Sandhu et al (1987), Kokosharov et al (1997), and Deshmukh et al (2005) in the liver and/or kidney of birds affected naturally or experimentally with S. Gallinarum.…”

Renal pathology of the fowl — A review

“…However, 1-day-old chicks are much more sensitive and a large single dose of ochratoxin A Downloaded by [Mercer University] at 19:55 02 November 2014 produced sr.riking lesions of acute nephrosis, complicated by visceral gout (Peckham et al, 1971). They found ochratoxin B to be considerably less toxic and Prior et al (1976) related mortality directly with dose. In young broiler chicks Huff et al (1974Huff et al ( , 1975) observed a significant increase in kidney weight with as little as 1 mg ochratoxin per kg food (half the amount necessary to reduce growth rate), but 4 mg/kg produced histologically discernible kidney changes, consisting of tubular dilation, epithelial cell swelling, oedema and proteinaceous casts.…”

Effect of the mycotoxin aurofusarin on the antioxidant composition and fatty acid profile of quail eggs

“…In this respect, quails which are regarded as several times more resistant to ochratoxicosis than the chicken or turkey (Prior et al, 1976), having the most rapid metabolism of aflatoxin B1 (O'Brien, 1983) and being more resistant to aflatoxin than poults and goslings but less resistant than chickens (Arafa et al, 1981), could provide additional information in terms of a better understanding of aurofusarin action. However, there is no information available on the effects of aurofusarin on quails.…”