الفهرس 
Introduction
History of aflatoxicosisOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
In the present study, one hundred feedstuff samples were collected from meat producing poultry farms (5 farms) which suffer from symptoms similar to aflatoxicosis (suspect aflatoxicosis) in El–Minia Governorate between: January 2017 to February 2018 representing the different seasons of the year (25 samples for each season).
1- The collected feed stuff samples were examined using thin layer chromatography (TLC) method for qualitative analysis, and positive samples were quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assuit University.
2- Liver samples from diseased birds in the farms where it´s feedstuff sample was positive for aflatoxin were collected after postmortem examination in each season of a year for pathological examination.
The main results can be summarized as follow:
1-Total aflatoxins in the samples collected during the year:-
Fifty four samples (54%) out of one hundered samples collected during the year were positive for aflatoxins contamination. Nine samples were contaminated with AFB1, twelve samples with AFB1&AFB2, five samples with AFB1&AFG1, five samples with AFB1&AFG2, three samples with AFB1&AFG1&AFG2, nine samples with AFB1& AFB2&AFG1, two samples with AFB1 & AFB2&AFG2, one sample with AFB2&AFG1&AFG2 and eight samples with AFB1&AFB2& AFG1&AFG2. Nine samples were of high levels of aflatoxins, thirty with moderate levels, fifteen with low levels and forty were negative. The percentage of samples that exceed the permissible limits of the Egyptian regulation (20µg/kg TAFs) was 74.07 % (40 samples out of 54 positive samples).Total aflatoxins (TAFs) levels ranged from 3.72 – 183.75 ppb with a mean ± SD of 36.58±28.81 ppb. AFB1 ranged from 0.64 - 71.02 ppb with a mean ± SD of 27±17.49 ppb. AFB2 ranged from 0.12 - 26.18 ppb with a mean ± SD of 5.085±6.15 ppb. AFG1 ranged from 0.12 - 102.4 ppb with a mean ± SD of 11.87±23.62 ppb. AFG2 ranged from 0.12 - 22.64 ppb with a mean ± SD of 3.579±7.42 ppb.
2-Aflatoxins in the samples collected during winter:-
Ten samples (40%) out of twenty five samples collected during this season were positive for aflatoxin contamination. Two samples were contaminated with AFB1, three samples contaminated with both AFB1&AFB2, three samples with AFB1&AFG1, one sample with AFB1&AFB2&AFG2 and one sample with AFB1&AFG2. Six samples out of 25 samples (24%) were contaminated with moderate levels of aflatoxins, four (16%) with low levels and 15 (60%) were negative. The percentage of samples that exceed the permissible limits of the Egyptian regulation (20µg/kg TAFs) was 70% (7 samples out of 10 positive samples).
Total aflatoxins (TAFs) levels ranged from 13.36 -38.43 ppb with a mean of ±SD 27.62 ± 8.23 ppb. AFB1 ranged from 13.15 - 36.12 ppb with a mean of 25.88 ± 9.12 ppb. AFB2 ranged from .12 - .95 ppb with a mean of 0.53±0.42 ppb .AFG1 ranged from .12 – 2.31 ppb with a mean of 1.2±1.095 ppb. AFG2 ranged from .12 – 11.64 ppb with a mean of 5.88±5.76 ppb.
3- Aflatoxins in the samples collected during spring:-
Fifteen samples (60%) out of twenty five samples collected during this season were positive for aflatoxins contamination. Two samples were contaminated with AFB1, four samples were contaminated both AFB1& AFB2, six samples with AFB1&AFB2&AFG1, two with AFB1&AFG2 and one with AFB1 & AFB2 &AFG1&AFG2. Four samples were of high levels of aflatoxins, seven with moderate levels, four with low levels and ten were negative. The percentage of samples that exceed the permissible limits of the Egyptian regulation (20µg/kg TAFs) was 73.33 % (11 samples out of 15 positive samples).
Total aflatoxins (TAFs) levels ranged from 9.32 - 97.63 ppb with a mean of ±SD 42.41 ± 24.99 ppb. AFB1 ranged from .64 – 60.09 ppb with a mean of 27.50 ± 16.89 ppb. AFB2 ranged from .3 – 16.9 ppb with a mean of 8.18 ± 5.73 ppb.AFG1 ranged from .3 – 70.38 ppb with a mean of 15.67 ± 25.22 ppb. AFG2 ranged from .12 – 1.26 ppb with a mean of 0.85 ± 0.63 ppb.
4- Aflatoxins in the samples collected during summer:
Seventeen samples (68%) out of the twenty five samples that collected during this season were positive for aflatoxin contamination. Five of these samples was contaminated with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) only, two were contaminated with aflatoxin B1 and aflatoxin B2 (AFB2), only one with AB1, AFB2 and AFG1.Two samples were contaminated with AFB1 and AFG2, also two samples with AFB1, AFG1 and AFG2 where five were contaminated with AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2. Five samples out of 25 sample (20%) were contaminated with high levels of aflatoxins (˃50ppb), eight samples (32%) with moderate levels (20-50ppb), three (12%) with low levels (˂20ppb) and nine (36%) were negative. the percentage of samples that exceed the permissible limits of the Egyptian regulation (20µg/kg TAFs) was 76.47% (13 samples out of 17 positive samples).
Total aflatoxins (TAFs) levels ranged from 3.72 – 183.75 ppb with a mean of ±SD 44.18 ±42.48 ppb. AFB1 ranged from 1.31 – 71.02 ppb with a mean of 32.83 ± 22.27 ppb. AFB2 ranged from .36 – 26.18 ppb with a mean of 6.88 ±8.67ppb.AFG1 ranged from .12 – 102.42 ppb with a mean of 13.42 ± 35.97 ppb. AFG2 ranged from .13 – 22.64 ppb with a mean of 5.4 ± 9.78 ppb.
5- Aflatoxins in the samples collected during autumn:-
Twelve samples (48%) out of twenty five samples collected during this season were positive for aflatoxin contamination. Five samples contaminated with AFB1 &AFB2,two with AFB1&AFG1, two sample contaminated with AFB1&AFB2 &AFG1 ,only one sample contaminated with AFB1&AFB2&AFG2, one with AFB1&AFG1&AFG2 ,one with AFB2,AFG1,AFG2 and two with AFB1 & AFB2 & AFG1 & AFG2. Nine samples out of 25 sample (36%) were contaminated with moderate levels of aflatoxins, 3 (12%) with low levels and 13 (52%) were negative.The percentage of samples that exceed the permissible limits of the Egyptian regulation (20 µg/kg TAFs) was 75 % (9 samples out of 12 positive samples).
Total aflatoxins (TAFs) levels ranged from 12.06 – 48.19 ppb with a mean of ±SD 25.99 ± 11.44 ppb. AFB1 ranged from .74 – 47.03 ppb with a mean of 18.30 ± 13.46 ppb. AFB2 ranged from .12 – 7.67 ppb with a mean of 2.06± 2.33ppb. AFG1 ranged from 1.16 – 31.16 ppb with a mean of 11.02 ± 9.31 ppb. AFG2 ranged from .12 – .68 ppb with a mean of 0.38 ± 0.23 ppb.6-pathological examination:
Affected chicken of an average weight of 1400g and kept at stocking density of 10/m2 and fed on contaminated feed were swollen, enlarged, and hemorrhagic, especially in spring and summer season. While, livers collected during winter and autumn season were extremely pale in color. Livers collected during winter also showed marked fibrin deposition especially at the surface.
Histopathology:
Autumn:
The livers collected during autumn had diffuse steatosis of hepatocytes. The liver sinuosoids were dilated and engorged with blood. Focal area of pre-neoplasia was also observed and manifested by disorganization of hepatic cords, pleomorphism, and hyperchromatic nuclei. The bile duct epithelia showed desquamation and hyperplasia; newly formed bile ducts. Moreover, periductal fibroplasia was also observed by Masson trichrome stain and appeared as positive green reaction around the bile duct.
Winter:
Perihepatitis fibrosis was expressed by abundant fibrous connective tissues with few leukocytic infiltrations. Masson’s trichrome stain showed positive reaction for the fibrosis. Diffuse hepatocellular necrosis was observed and expressed by eosinophilic cytoplasm as well as necrotic nuclei. Desquamation of bile duct epithelium and hyperplasia was also observed.
Spring:
Diffuse hemorrhagic changes and focal area of necrosis were observed.
Summer:
Hepatocellular carcinoma was manifested by the presence of trabecular hepatocytes with intervening sinusoids, which are widely separated, dilated and engorged with red blood cells. Well expressed vascular changes expressed by hyperemia, and piliosis were also observed. Neoplastic hepatocytes were invading the blood vessels. Well expressed vascular changes and thrombosis were observed. These thrombi were made of fibrin, red blood cells, and serum, attached to the damaged endothelium. Areas adjacent to the thrombotic blood vessels showed necrotic changes and accumulated red blood cells. These changes during the four seasons of the year were compared to normal livers, which did not show any obvious alterations.
The histopathological assessment confirmed the alterations induced by aflatoxinB1. The perihepatitis fibrosis, bile duct proliferation, and the morphological criteria of pre-neoplastic and hepatocellular carcinoma were evident in the present study.
The higher percentage of aflatoxins contamination exceeding the permissible levels were found in summer samples (76.47%“13 samples out of 17 positive samples”) followed by autumn samples (75 %“9 samples out of 12 positive samples”) and spring samples (73.33 %“11 samples out of 15 positive samples”) then winter samples (70%”7 samples out of 10 positive samples”).