Deoxynivalenol as a contaminant of broiler feed: Effects on bird performance and response to common vaccines

Abstract

Recent data suggest that Fusarium trichothecenes may reduce broiler performance at levels previously thought not to affect this variable in chickens. In the present study, we investigated the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON), a type-B trichothecene, on broilers. Male broilers at 7 d of age were fed either a basal diet (0.265 ± 0.048 mg of DON; 0.013 ± 0.001 mg of zearalenone/kg), a low DON diet (1.68 mg of DON/kg; 0.145 ± 0.007 mg of zearalenone/kg), or a high DON diet (12.209 ± 1.149 mg of DON/kg; 1.094 ± 0.244 mg of zearalenone/kg). Increasing levels of DON decreased the weekly weight gain linearly (P ≤ 0.041) during the first 3 wk of exposure; there were no significant differences in the weight gain of the birds after wk 3. With increasing levels of DON, the titers against Newcastle disease virus increased linearly during wk 2 (P = 0.022) and wk 4 (P = 0.033) of exposure, whereas the titers against infectious bronchitis virus decreased linearly (P = 0.006) during wk 5 of exposure. The serum protein concentration increased linearly (P = 0.017) during wk 2 and quadratically (P = 0.002) during wk 4 of exposure. Under these experimental conditions, the performance and vaccine response of the broilers were modulated to varying degrees at concentrations of DON that are currently permitted (up to 5 mg/kg of diet) in many countries. Further studies are therefore required to clarify the implications of these results on the welfare of chickens.

Susceptibility of Broiler Chickens to Coccidiosis When Fed Subclinical Doses of Deoxynivalenol and Fumonisins—Special Emphasis on the Immunological Response and the Mycotoxin Interaction

“…In contrast to swine, mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species, such as deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FB), have not been considered as a major threat in poultry production, as more than 15 mg DON/kg and 80–100 mg FB/kg of diet are required to reduce performance in chickens [28,29,30]. However, as pointed out by Yunus et al [31], recent reports showed temporary reduction in broiler performance exposed to lower doses of DON (also shown for aflatoxins). The modern broiler has a faster growth rate that can affect the relative sensitivity of birds to mycotoxins in comparison to traditional broiler prior to the 2000s.…”

Effects of Feed Contaminant Deoxynivalenol on Plasma Cytokines and mRNA Expression of Immune Genes in the Intestine of Broiler Chickens

“…In broiler chickens, DON was shown to suppress the vaccination response to infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) [6] and to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) [6], [7]. Recently, DON was shown to suppress the antibody response to infectious bronchitis vaccine (IBV) in broiler chickens [8], [9]. Furthermore, it was shown that the dietary inclusion of DON in diets of laying hens resulted in a reduction of white blood cell number and total lymphocyte number [10].…”

Insights on the Host Stress, Fear and Growth Responses to the Deoxynivalenol Feed Contaminant in Broiler Chickens

“…Although DON mycotoxicosis is rarely happened in modern poultry industry, moderate and low DON contamination of chicken diets reduced the production and impaired the health and immunological functions [9], [36]. In chickens, DON was shown to suppress the vaccination response to infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) [2], [11], [12] and to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) [2] which indicates that DON altered the chicken humoral immunity. It was shown that DON induces chronic stress in broiler chickens as measured by H/L ratio (Stress index) due to prolonged ingestion [12], [13].…”

“…As a consequence to prolonged stress, the immune system of the birds can be affected [42]. In this respect, DON was shown to affect the humoral immune response to common vaccines [11], [12]. Indeed, the innate immune response is also altered due to chronic DON feeding.…”

“…Thus exposure of broiler chickens to DON contaminated diet can not be avoided. The impacts of DON contamination of poultry feeds on a wide range of significant health and immunological parameters were intensively studied [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]. However, the effects of DON contamination of broiler diet on the welfare related parameters are not investigated, only a few studies showed that DON increased the stress index (heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, H/L ratio) in broilers [12], [13].…”