An Outbreak of Acute Aflatoxicosis on a Chinchilla (Chinchilla Lanigera) Farm in Argentina

Abstract

Abstract. Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) are known to be very sensitive to aflatoxins, and often a large number of animals die if toxicosis occurs. An outbreak of acute aflatoxicosis on a chinchilla farm in Argentina is described in the present study. A commercial feed suspected of causing the death of 200 animals was sampled. Livers from 9 dead chinchillas were analyzed for their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics via necropsy and histopathology. Aflatoxins B 1 , B 2 , G 1 , and G 2 were determined, by thin layer chromatography, to be in the feed. Macroscopic inspection of livers revealed general enlargement, paleyellowish coloration, hypertrophy, rounded borders, and increased friability. Size and color were remarkably different from a healthy organ. Histopathologic analyses of hepatic parenchyma showed severe, diffuse cytoplasmic vacuolation of hepatocytes. Sudan III staining confirmed the presence of lipid within the vacuoles. The feed was positive for aflatoxin B 1 in quantities that exceeded the recommended levels. Histologic lesions were typical of aflatoxin intake. Monitoring feed for mycotoxins is crucial to prevent outbreaks of toxicosis, to improve management practices, and to diminish exposure risk of animals and humans to these harmful toxins.

Surtos de intoxicação por salinomicina em chinchilas (Chinchilla lanigera)

“…Na nossa experiência, vacuolização hepática é também observada em associação a várias doenças de chinchilas e mesmo em chinchilas mantidas em restrição alimentar antes do abate (dados não publicados). Em razão disso lipidose hepática, mesmo acentuada, não deve ser considerada característica de aϐlatoxicose como foi anteriormente sugerido (Pereyra et al 2008) nem de qualquer intoxicação especíϐica.…”

Aflatoxins in Pet Foods: A Risk to Special Consumers

“…Histopathology revealed severe, diffuse cytoplasmic vacuolation, with the appearance of many large and fewer small cytoplasmic vacuoles in hepatocytes in HE-stained tissue sections. Frozen sections of liver stained confirmed the presence of lipid within the cytoplasmic vacuoles (Pereyra et al, 2008). The frequency of chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow cells, after a single i.p.…”

“…All of these animals died naturally after the consumption of feed by an acute aflatoxicosis. Analyses of the pelletized feed for AFs by TLC revealed that the feed sample was contaminated at a mean level of 212 ppb ± 8.48 ppb of AFB 1 (Pereyra et al, 2008). Macroscopic inspection of the livers revealed general enlargement, pale-yellowish coloration, hypertrophy, rounded hepatic borders, and increased friability.…”

“…Chinchillas are known to be very sensitive to mycotoxins, and a large number of animals often die if acute aflatoxicosis occurs. Clinical signs that may indicate mycotoxicosis on a farm include low feed intake, diarrhea, weight loss, poor condition of the skin, fur discoloration, sudden death, and a predisposition to secondary infections (Pereyra et al, 2008). In this case of chinchilla's farm the feed samples had undergone a pelleting process by an expander at 90°C for 60 min.…”

“…The corn in the diets was contaminated with aflatoxin (Bingham et al, 2004 (Lightfoot and Yeager, 2008). Pereyra et al (2008) described an acute aflatoxicosis case on a chinchilla farm in Argentina. Chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera) are rabbit-sized crepuscular rodents native to the Andes Mountains in South America.…”