Combined effects of aflatoxin B1 and corticosterone treatment on selected performance indices and liver histopathology in Japanese quail.

MAGNOLI, A. P.; MONGE, M. P.; NAZAR, F. N.; MAGNOLI, C. E.; CAVAGLIERI, L. R. ; BANIS, G.; DALCERO, A. M.; MARIN R. H.

POULTRY SCIENCE

POULTRY SCIENCE ASSOC INC

Año: 2012 vol. 91 p. 354 - 361

0032-5791

Animal feed may be contaminated with different mycotoxins, with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) being a very common and toxic compound. Considering that birds normally have to cope with different stressful situations at the same time, the present study aims to evaluate the effects of feed contamination with AFB1, in combination with corticosterone (CORT) treatment in drinking water (a model to induce physiological stress in birds) on selected performance indices (i.e., body weight, feed conversion, egg production, as well as macroscopic and microscopic liver alterations). At 5 wk of age, quail were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatment groups that resulted from the combination of the presence or absence of CORT in drinking water (5 mg/L) with the presence or absence of AFB1 contamination (0, 100 or 500 μg/kg). The animals remained in these treatment from 5 to 11 wks of age. There were 6 replicates per treatment, each containing two males and two females. Contamination with 100 μg/kg of AFB1 induced no changes in body weight, feed conversion and egg production parameters. Quail fed with 500 μg of AFB1/kg showed significant decreases in body weight and feed consumption compared to their control counterparts. CORT in combination with 500μg AFB1/kg intensified the negative effects observed on body weight and feed consumption and also had negative effects on feed conversion rate and egg production parameters, suggesting thatthe adverse effects of contamination with AFB1 are intensified in situations of chronic stress. Quail treated with 500 µg/kg of AFB1 showed hepatocytes with degree 1 and 2 lesions, and all quail treated with 500 µg/kg of AFB1 in combination with CORT showed liver lesions of degree 2 (i.e. hepatocytes with fatty macro and microvacuoles and necrosis). This result is also consistent with the hypothesis that chronic stress exacerbates the effect of the AFB1 contamination. In conclusion, this study suggests that the negative effects of AFB1 contamination are increased when overlapped with a chronic stressful stimulation.