Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins B1, B2, and M1 in corn associated with equine death.
Abstract: Corn from an Arkansas farm, where three horses died and others became sick, was investigated for causative principles. Necropsy of the three horses revealed what appeared to be severe hepatic necrosis. Histopathological examination indicated a pattern of hepatic lesions that was suggestive of aflatoxin contamination of the feed. Mycological examination of the corn by dilution plating revealed 95% of the colonies as Aspergillus flavus. Chemical analysis of the corn for mycotoxins was positive for aflatoxin B1, B2, and M1 at concentrations of 114, 10, and 6 micrograms/Kg, respectively. Cyclopiazonic acid, sterigmatocystin, and the Fusarium toxins, vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol), T-2 toxin, and diacetoxyscirpenol, were not detected. The presence of aflatoxin metabolites in the moldy corn and the presence of appropriate lesions were compatible with the diagnosis, equine aflatoxicosis.
Publication Date: 1991-01-01 PubMed ID: 1670319DOI: 10.1007/BF01065342Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates an issue where three horses died and many became sick on an Arkansas farm. The study discovered a serious liver necrosis in the horses and found that the corn fed to them was severely contaminated with aflatoxins and Aspergillus flavus, leading to a diagnosis of equine aflatoxicosis.
Research Context
- The study was ignited by an alarming incident on an Arkansas farm where three horses died suddenly and many others got sick.
- Autopsies performed on the deceased horses showed severe hepatic necrosis (liver cell death)
- This raised suspicion of some form of toxic contamination leading to the team investigating further.
Analysis of Corn
- The investigators focused on the corn that was being fed to the animals on the farm.
- On culturing the corn, 95% of the colonies that grew were of a mould known as Aspergillus flavus, a common contaminant of corn and peanuts and known to produce harmful aflatoxins.
- Chemical tests were also performed to ascertain the presence of mycotoxins.
Findings
- The corn was found to contain high concentrations of aflatoxins B1, B2, and M1 with concentrations of 114, 10, and 6 micrograms/Kg, respectively.
- Cyclopiazonic acid, sterigmatocystin, and other Fusarium toxins, were not detected.
- The presence of these aflatoxin metabolites in the corn, together with the liver lesions found in the horses, were consistent with the diagnosis of equine aflatoxicosis, a disease that affects horses and other equines.
Conclusion
- The study concludes that the cause of the equine deaths and sickness was aflatoxicosis, a disease brought on by the ingestion of aflatoxins present in their feed.
- Aflatoxins, which are produced by the fungus Aspergillus flavus found on the corn, led to severe hepatic necrosis in the horses, causing their death and sickness.
Cite This Article
APA
Vesonder R, Haliburton J, Stubblefield R, Gilmore W, Peterson S.
(1991).
Aspergillus flavus and aflatoxins B1, B2, and M1 in corn associated with equine death.
Arch Environ Contam Toxicol, 20(1), 151-153.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01065342 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Northern Regional Research Center USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Peoria, Illinois 61604.
MeSH Terms
- Aflatoxins / analysis
- Aflatoxins / toxicity
- Animal Feed / analysis
- Animals
- Aspergillus flavus
- Female
- Food Contamination
- Horse Diseases / chemically induced
- Horse Diseases / mortality
- Horses
- Liver Diseases / mortality
- Liver Diseases / pathology
- Liver Diseases / veterinary
- Male
- Mice
- Mycotoxicosis / mortality
- Mycotoxicosis / pathology
- Mycotoxicosis / veterinary
- Necrosis
- Zea mays / chemistry
- Zea mays / microbiology
References
This article includes 4 references
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- Svoboda DJ, Reddy JK, Liu C. Multinucleate giant cells in livers of marmosets given aflatoxin B1.. Arch Pathol 1971 May;91(5):452-5.
- Miller DM, Crowell WA, Stuart BP. Acute aflatoxicosis in swine: clinical pathology, histopathology, and electron microscopy.. Am J Vet Res 1982 Feb;43(2):273-7.
- Thurston JR, Baetz AL, Cheville NF, Richard JL. Acute aflatoxicosis in guinea pigs: sequential changes in serum proteins, complement, C4, and liver enzymes and histopathologic changes.. Am J Vet Res 1980 Aug;41(8):1272-6.
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Bansal S, Mallikarjuna MG, Balamurugan A, Nayaka SC, Prakash G. Composition and Codon Usage Pattern Results in Divergence of the Zinc Binuclear Cluster (Zn(II)(2)Cys(6)) Sequences among Ascomycetes Plant Pathogenic Fungi.. J Fungi (Basel) 2022 Oct 27;8(11).
- Intemann S, Reckels B, Schubert DC, Wolf P, Kamphues J, Visscher C. The Microbiological Quality of Concentrates for Horses-A Retrospective Study on Influencing Factors and Associations with Clinical Symptoms Reported by Owners or Referring Vets.. Vet Sci 2022 Aug 5;9(8).
- Awuchi CG, Ondari EN, Ogbonna CU, Upadhyay AK, Baran K, Okpala COR, Korzeniowska M, Guiné RPF. Mycotoxins Affecting Animals, Foods, Humans, and Plants: Types, Occurrence, Toxicities, Action Mechanisms, Prevention, and Detoxification Strategies-A Revisit.. Foods 2021 Jun 3;10(6).
- Conte G, Fontanelli M, Galli F, Cotrozzi L, Pagni L, Pellegrini E. Mycotoxins in Feed and Food and the Role of Ozone in Their Detoxification and Degradation: An Update.. Toxins (Basel) 2020 Jul 30;12(8).
- Schaarschmidt S, Fauhl-Hassek C. Mycotoxins during the Processes of Nixtamalization and Tortilla Production.. Toxins (Basel) 2019 Apr 16;11(4).
- Garon D, El Kaddoumi A, Carayon A, Amiel C. FT-IR spectroscopy for rapid differentiation of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus parasiticus and characterization of aflatoxigenic isolates collected from agricultural environments.. Mycopathologia 2010 Aug;170(2):131-42.
- Abdel-Wahhab MA, Omara EA, Abdel-Galil MM, Hassan NS, Nada SA, Saeed A, el-Sayed MM. Zizyphus spina-christi extract protects against aflatoxin B1-initiated hepatic carcinogenicity.. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 2007 Feb 16;4(3):248-56.
- Nardoni S, Mancianti F, Sgorbini M, Taccini F, Corazza M. Identification and seasonal distribution of airborne fungi in three horse stables in Italy.. Mycopathologia 2005 Aug;160(1):29-34.
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