This study has been carried out to highlight the effects of some mycotoxins (aflatoxin, ochratoxin and their combination) on pathological and clinicopathological picture in broiler chickens. Sixty Arber Acers broiler chicks (one day old) were classified into 4 groups each 15 chickens. The 1st group was kept as a control, the 2nd group was fed 2 ppm aflatoxin contaminated ration, the 3rd group was fed 4 ppm ochratoxin contaminated ration, and the 4th group was fed 2 ppm aflatoxin + 4 ppm ochratoxin (AF+OTA) contaminated ration from the first day of age till 6 weeks. At 2nd, 4th and 6th week of experiment, 5 birds of each group were sacrificed and samples of blood, serum and tissue specimens were collected for histopathological, hematological and biochemical investigations. Histopathological examination of liver from aflatoxin-treated group showed Kupffer cells activation, focal areas of sinusoidal dilatation and periacinar hepatic necrosis as well as hepatocellular vacuolations with mononuclear cells infiltration. As ochratoxins were mainly nephrotoxic, the most conspicuous changes in kidneys were tubular nephrosis, subcapsular hemorrhage, distension of some renal tubules with cellular casts with marked connective tissue proliferation and mononuclear cells infiltration, and atrophied renal tubules were noticed. Histopathological changes were more pronounced in group 4 (AF+OTA). The pathological changes increase in correlation with prolonged administration of toxins. Serum biochemical results confirmed hepatotoxic effects of these mycotoxins in chicken, which manifested by significant increases in ALT and AST values that associated with significant elevations in total leukocytes counting. Therefore, our results indicate that mycotoxins (aflatoxin, ochratoxin and their combination) have hepatoxic and nephrotoxic effects on growing broilers. |
