nsc-141537 and Poisoning

Trichotecene poisoning in poultry can cause oral lesions, haemorrhages, depletion and necrosis in the lymphopoetic organs and death. Spontaneous poisonings with these toxins are rarely described. This paper describes the spontaneous poisoning of two Brahma chickens with T-2 toxin, diacetoxyscirpenol and deoxynivalenol. Two out of 10 chickens died under signs of depression and loss of appetite. Histopathological analysis revealed vacuolar dystrophy of the liver, necrosis and depletion of lymphocyte in the bursa of Fabricius as well as multiple necroses in the glandular stomach and gut. Even though quantities of 0.70 mg/kg T-2 in the food together with 0.50 mg/kg diacetoxyscirpenol significantly differ from the median lethal dose for chickens reported in literature (4.97 mg/kg), parasitological, virological and histopathological results indicate trichotecenes as the causative agents of this pathological condition.

Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Bursa of Fabricius; Chickens; Fatal Outcome; Fusarium; Liver; Lymphocytes; Necrosis; Poisoning; Poultry Diseases; Stomach; T-2 Toxin; Trichothecenes

Lethal doses of the trichothecene mycotoxins T-2 toxin (1.5 mg/kg), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS; 2.3 mg/kg) or roridin A (1.3 mg/kg) were intravenously administered to rats. When rats were treated with either activated charcoal (Superchar liquid, Norit A; 1 g/kg, po) or dexamethasone (8 mg/kg, iv) 30 min after poisoning with one of the trichothecenes, lethality was only marginally reduced. However, when the combination of activated charcoal (Superchar liquid or Norit A) and dexamethasone was administered, the survival rate of animals after 30 days was significantly enhanced by up to 50%. Comparison between 2 preparations of activated charcoal, Norit AR with a surface area of 1,000 m2/g and Superchar liquidR with a surface area of 3,000 m2/g, each in combination with dexamethasone, revealed no difference in their therapeutic efficacy. Prednisolone (60 mg/kg) was as effective as dexamethasone (8 mg/kg), each administered with activated charcoal, in preventing death in acute T-2 toxicosis.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Charcoal; Dexamethasone; Drug Therapy, Combination; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Poisoning; Prednisolone; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; T-2 Toxin; Trichothecenes