The Anemia Caused by Aflatoxin

Abstract

The effects of graded doses of dietary aflatoxin (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mug./g.) on hemoglobin, packed blood cell volume, erythrocyte count, leucocyte counts, bone marrow lipid, and bone marrow nucleic acids of chickens were measured. The hemoglobin, packed cell volume, and erythrocyte count were reduced significantly (P less than 0.05) to about the same extent by any given dose. Microscopic examination of stained smears of the bone marrow revealed a hyperplastic response including the granulocytic elements. Chemical analyses of the marrow revealed a decreased lipid content and an increased content of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid. Total leucocytes were increased about three fold by aflatoxin (10 mug./g). Differential leucocyte counts revealed that the heterophils were increased while the eosinophils were unaffected and the basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes were decreased. The increase in nucleic acids of the marrow and in circulating leucocytes occurred with doses which inhibit growth rate. These data suggest that aflatoxin causes a hemolytic anemia in chickens, that aflatoxin, by itself, is not involved in the hemorrhagic anemia syndrome of chickens, and that aflatoxin does not cause in chickens a general inhibition of ribonucleic acid and protein synthesis as assumed from studies on rats.

The Effect of Dietary Aflatoxin on Wild Turkey Poults

“…The mean packed cell volumes of all treatment groups of wild turkey poults were increased compared with controls, which contrasts with previous reports of decreased packed cell volumes (Weibking et al, 1994) and hemolytic anemia (Tung et al, 1975) in aflatoxin-exposed domestic poults. It is unknown whether the increased hematocrits seen in our wild turkeys were a direct effect of aflatoxin exposure, or whether they were secondary to other conditions.…”

“…Because the anemia induced by aflatoxins in chickens begins after 17 to 21 days of aflatoxin ingestion (Huff et al, 1986), it may be that a more prolonged feeding trial in wild turkeys would be necessary for such an anemia to develop. Bone marrow granulocytic hyperplasia has been speculated to be the cause of heterophilia in chickens fed aflatoxin (Tung et al, 1975), but alternate explanations for the heterophilia seen in our poults includes an inflammatory response or a response to stress such as is observed in chickens (Siegel, 1971).…”

Ameliorative Effect of Curcuma longa in Aflatoxicosis Induced Hematological and Histopathological Changes in Broiler Birds

“…These findings are in concurrence with Tung et al, (1975); Lanza et al, (1980); Balachandran and Ramakrishnan (1987) and Vasan et al, (1998).…”

“…Hemoglobin concentration was depressed analogous to PCV, reflecting anaemia. Tung et al, (1975) also observed anaemia and suggested that aflatoxin associated anaemia as hemolytic anaemia characterized by decreased erythrocyte counts, packed cell volume, hemoglobin levels. This type of anaemia could result from inhibition of haematopoiesis, defective haematopoiesis, increased destruction of red blood cells, or a combination of all the three (Huff et al, 1986).…”

Parâmetros hematológicos de frangos de corte alimentados com ração contendo aflatoxina B1 e fumonisina B1

“…Este aumento no percentual de linfócitos pode estar relacionado à diminuição da atividade de células fagocitárias causada pela AFB 1 (CHANG & HAMILTON, 1979), uma vez que todos os grupos alimentados com ração contendo as micotoxinas apresentaram uma redução (P<0,05) no percentual de heterófilos, apesar de não ter havido diferença no percentual de monócitos (P>0,05). A diminuição do número de leucócitos observada no presente estudo é coerente com os dados descritos por JAVED et al (1995), porém contrária aos resultados obtidos por TUNG et al (1975 Resultados expressos em média + desvio padrão, para 4 repetições. a-c Médias seguidas de letras distintas, em uma mesma coluna, diferem pelo teste de Fisher (P < 0,05).…”