FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Association between forage mycotoxins and liver disease in h...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2022; 36(4); 1502-1507; doi: 10.1111/jvim.16486

Association between forage mycotoxins and liver disease in horses.

Abstract: Outbreaks of liver disease in horses are common but the etiology of most remains unknown. Forage mycotoxins have been suspected to be a cause. Objective: To examine the association between outbreaks of liver disease and the presence of mycotoxins in forage stored on the same premises. Methods: Premises were identified where ≥4 horses were contemporaneously affected by liver disease, and a control group was formed from premises where ≥4 horses had been examined and found to have no evidence of liver disease. Methods: Forage was collected from 29 case and 12 control premises. The forage was analyzed for mycotoxin content using a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method, targeting 54 mycotoxins. The presence and distribution of mycotoxins between case and control samples was compared. Results: Mycotoxins were found in 23/29 (79%) case samples and 10/12 (83%) control samples (P > .99; relative risk, 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64-1.75). Median (interquartile range [IQR]) total mycotoxin concentration was similar in case and control samples (85.8 μg/kg [1.6-268] vs. 315 μg/kg [6.3-860]; P = .16). Ten mycotoxins were found exclusively in case premises comprising fumonisin B1, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, aflatoxins B1 and G1, methylergonovine, nivalenol, verruculogen, and wortmannin. The median (IQR) concentration of fumonisin B1 was significantly higher in case versus control samples (0 μg/kg [0-81.7] vs. 0 μg/kg [0-0]; P = .04). Conclusions: Several mycotoxins with known hepatotoxic potential were found, alone or in combination, exclusively at case premises, consistent with the hypothesis that forage-associated mycotoxicosis may be a cause of outbreaks of liver disease in horses in the United Kingdom.
© 2022 The Author. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2022-07-06 PubMed ID: 35792718PubMed Central: PMC9308415DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16486Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the connection between forage mycotoxins and liver disease outbreaks in horses. The investigators found that a particular combination of mycotoxins, present in the forage on properties where liver disease cases were reported, might be a contributing factor to these incidents.

Research Objective

This study aimed to explore the possible link between forage mycotoxins and outbreaks of liver disease in horses on various premises. Many such outbreaks have been recorded but the cause behind most of them remains unexplained. This study seeks to test the theory that forage mycotoxins might be responsible.

Methods

  • The team selected premises where ≥4 horses were concurrently undergoing liver disease (forming a case group). For a control group, they picked premises with ≥4 healthy horses without any liver disease.
  • The researchers collected forage from 29 case and 12 control properties.
  • They analyzed the forage for mycotoxin content, targeting 54 specific mycotoxins, via liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry method.
  • They then compared the mycotoxins’ presence and distribution between the forage samples from the case and control groups.

Results

  • They detected mycotoxins in 79% of case samples and 83% of control samples, implying that the presence of mycotoxins alone isn’t an indicator of the disease, since mycotoxins were present in a similar proportion of control samples too.
  • However, there were ten mycotoxins found only on case premises, such as fumonisin B1, 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol, and aflatoxins. These mycotoxins are known to have hepatotoxic potential, meaning they can harm the liver.
  • Moreover, the concentration of fumonisin B1 was significantly higher in case samples compared to control ones.

Conclusion

Based on these findings, it can be inferred that certain mycotoxins, particularly fumonisin B1, may be contributing to the outbreaks of liver disease in horses in the UK. However, the presence of mycotoxins itself is not determinative for the disease outbreak, rather their specific types and concentrations. Further research may be needed to confirm these results and explore the connection in more depth.

Cite This Article

APA
Durham AE. (2022). Association between forage mycotoxins and liver disease in horses. J Vet Intern Med, 36(4), 1502-1507. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.16486

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 36
Issue: 4
Pages: 1502-1507

Researcher Affiliations

Durham, Andy E
  • The Liphook Equine Hospital, Liphook, United Kingdom.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Food Contamination / analysis
  • Horse Diseases / chemically induced
  • Horses
  • Liver Diseases / etiology
  • Liver Diseases / veterinary
  • Mycotoxins / analysis
  • Mycotoxins / chemistry
  • Mycotoxins / toxicity
  • United Kingdom
  • Zearalenone / analysis

Grant Funding

  • Alltech

Conflict of Interest Statement

Author declares no conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 44 references
  1. Durham AE, Newton JR, Smith KC. Retrospective analysis of historical, clinical, ultrasonographic, serum biochemical and haematological data in prognostic evaluation of equine liver disease.. Equine Vet J 2003;35(6):542‐547.
    pubmed: 14515952
  2. Giles CJ. Outbreak of ragwort (Senecio jacobea) poisoning in horses.. Equine Vet J 1983;15(3):248‐250.
    pubmed: 6136403
  3. Durham AE. Surveillance focus: ragwort toxicity in horses in the UK.. Vet Rec 2015;176(24):620‐622.
    pubmed: 26067012
  4. Cortinovis C, Caloni F. Epidemiology of intoxication of domestic animals by plants in Europe.. Vet J 2013;197(2):163‐168.
    pubmed: 23570777
  5. Ramsauer AS, Badenhorst M, Cavalleri JV. Equine parvovirus hepatitis.. Equine Vet J 2021;53(5):886‐894.
    pmc: PMC8457058pubmed: 34101906
  6. Lyons S, Kapoor A, Schneider BS. Viraemic frequencies and seroprevalence of non‐primate hepacivirus and equine pegiviruses in horses and other mammalian species.. J Gen Virol 2014;95(Pt 8):1701‐1711.
    pubmed: 24814924
  7. Prosperini A, Berrada H, Ruiz MJ. A review of the mycotoxin enniatin B.. Front Public Health 2017;5:304.
    pmc: PMC5697211pubmed: 29201864
  8. Caloni F, Fossati P, Anadón A, Bertero A. Beauvericin: the beauty and the beast.. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol 2020;75:103349.
    pubmed: 32028178
  9. Liu M, Zhao L, Gong G. Invited review: remediation strategies for mycotoxin control in feed.. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022;13(1):19.
    pmc: PMC8796454pubmed: 35090579
  10. Pereira CS, Cunha SC, Fernandes JO. Prevalent mycotoxins in animal feed: occurrence and analytical methods.. Toxins (Basel) 2019;11(5):290.
    pmc: PMC6563184pubmed: 31121952
  11. Buszewska‐Forajta M. Mycotoxins, invisible danger of feedstuff with toxic effect on animals.. Toxicon 2020;182:34‐53.
    pubmed: 32423889
  12. Bennett JW, Klich M. Mycotoxins.. Clin Microbiol Rev 2003;16(3):497‐516.
    pmc: PMC164220pubmed: 12857779
  13. Fink‐Gremmels J. Mycotoxins: their implications for human and animal health.. Vet Q 1999;21(4):115‐120.
    pubmed: 10568000
  14. Buckley T, Creighton A, Fogarty U. Analysis of Canadian and Irish forage, oats and commercially available equine concentrate feed for pathogenic fungi and mycotoxins.. Ir Vet J 2007;60(4):231‐236.
    pmc: PMC3113828pubmed: 21851693
  15. Schollenberger M, Müller HM, Rüfle M, Suchy S, Plank S, Drochner W. Natural occurrence of 16 fusarium toxins in grains and feedstuffs of plant origin from Germany.. Mycopathologia 2006;161(1):43‐52.
    pubmed: 16389484
  16. Engels R, Krämer J. Incidence of Fusaria and occurrence of selected Fusarium mycotoxins on Lolium spp. in Germany.. Mycotoxin Res 1996;12(1):31‐40.
    pubmed: 23604632
  17. Yu W, Yu F‐Y, Undersander DJ, Chu FS. Immunoassays of selected mycotoxins in Hay, silage and mixed feed.. Food Agric Immunol 1999;11(4):307‐319.
  18. Jackson LC, Kudupoje MB, Yiannikouris A. Simultaneous multiple mycotoxin quantification in feed samples using three isotopically labeled internal standards applied for isotopic dilution and data normalization through ultra‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry.. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2012;26(23):2697‐2713.
    pubmed: 23124660
  19. Skladanka J, Adam V, Dolezal P. How do grass species, season and ensiling influence mycotoxin content in forage?. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2013;10(11):6084‐6095.
    pmc: PMC3863888pubmed: 24225645
  20. Skladanka J, Nedělník J, Adam V. Forage as a primary source of mycotoxins in animal diets.. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2011;8(1):37‐50.
    pmc: PMC3037059pubmed: 21318013
  21. Calori‐Domingues MA, Bernardi CM, Nardin MS. Co‐occurrence and distribution of deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and zearalenone in wheat from Brazil.. Food Addit Contam Part B Surveill 2016;9(2):142‐151.
    pubmed: 26886061
  22. Malekinejad H, Fink‐Gremmels J. Mycotoxicoses in veterinary medicine: Aspergillosis and penicilliosis.. Vet Res Forum 2020;11(2):97‐103.
    pmc: PMC7413002pubmed: 32782737
  23. Smith MC, Hymery N, Troadec S, Pawtowski A, Coton E, Madec S. Hepatotoxicity of fusariotoxins, alone and in combination, towards the HepaRG human hepatocyte cell line.. Food Chem Toxicol 2017;109(Pt 1):439‐451.
    pubmed: 28935499
  24. Sun LH, Lei MY, Zhang NY, Zhao L, Krumm CS, Qi DS. Hepatotoxic effects of mycotoxin combinations in mice.. Food Chem Toxicol 2014;74:289‐293.
    pubmed: 25445755
  25. Smith GW, Constable PD, Foreman JH. Cardiovascular changes associated with intravenous administration of fumonisin B1 in horses.. Am J Vet Res 2002;63(4):538‐545.
    pubmed: 11939316
  26. Caloni F, Cortinovis C. Effects of fusariotoxins in the equine species.. Vet J 2010;186(2):157‐161.
    pubmed: 19837621
  27. Voss KA, Smith GW, Haschek WM. Fumonisins: Toxicokinetics, mechanism of action and toxicity.. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2007;137(3–4):299‐325.
  28. Uhlinger C. Leukoencephalomalacia.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 1997;13(1):13‐20.
    pubmed: 9106340
  29. Vendruscolo CP, Frias NC, de Carvalho CB. Leukoencephalomalacia outbreak in horses due to consumption of contaminated Hay.. J Vet Intern Med 2016;30(6):1879‐1881.
    pmc: PMC5115199pubmed: 27744651
  30. Szabó A, Szabó‐Fodor J, Kachlek M. Dose and exposure time‐dependent renal and hepatic effects of Intraperitoneally administered Fumonisin B₁ in rats.. Toxins (Basel) 2018;10(11):465.
    pmc: PMC6265755pubmed: 30424021
  31. Cao C, Xian R, Lin F. Fumonisin B1 induces hepatotoxicity in mice through the activation of oxidative stress, apoptosis and fibrosis.. Chemosphere 2022;296:133910.
    pubmed: 35143865
  32. Gumprecht LA, Marcucci A, Weigel RM. Effects of intravenous fumonisin B1 in rabbits: nephrotoxicity and sphingolipid alterations.. Nat Toxins 1995;3(5):395‐403.
    pubmed: 8581326
  33. Fernández‐Surumay G, Osweiler GD, Yaeger MJ. Fumonisin B‐glucose reaction products are less toxic when fed to swine.. J Agric Food Chem 2005;53(10):4264‐4271.
    pubmed: 15884870
  34. Mathur S, Constable PD, Eppley RM, Waggoner AL, Tumbleson ME, Haschek WM. Fumonisin B(1) is hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic in milk‐fed calves.. Toxicol Sci 2001;60(2):385‐396.
    pubmed: 11248152
  35. Deepthi BV, Somashekaraiah R, Poornachandra Rao K. Lactobacillus plantarum MYS6 ameliorates fumonisin B1‐induced Hepatorenal damage in broilers.. Front Microbiol 2017;8:2317.
    pmc: PMC5702784pubmed: 29213265
  36. Brownie CF, Cullen J. Characterization of experimentally induced equine leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) in ponies (Equus caballus): preliminary report.. Vet Hum Toxicol 1987;29(1):34‐38.
    pubmed: 3824873
  37. Stockmann‐Juvala H, Savolainen K. A review of the toxic effects and mechanisms of action of fumonisin B1.. Hum Exp Toxicol 2008;27(11):799‐809.
    pubmed: 19244287
  38. Habschied K, Krstanović V, Zdunić Z, Babić J, Mastanjević K, Šarić GK. Mycotoxins biocontrol methods for healthier crops and stored products.. J Fungi (Basel) 2021;7(5):348.
    pmc: PMC8145935pubmed: 33946920
  39. Becker‐Algeri TA, Heidtmann‐Bemvenuti R, dos Santos Hackbart HC, Badiale‐Furlong E. Thermal treatments and their effects on the fumonisin B1 level in rice.. Food Control 2013;34(2):488‐493.
  40. Yumbe‐Guevara BE, Imoto T, Yoshizawa T. Effects of heating procedures on deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and zearalenone levels in naturally contaminated barley and wheat.. Food Addit Contam 2003;20(12):1132‐1140.
    pubmed: 14726277
  41. Park JW, Kim YB. Effect of pressure cooking on aflatoxin B1 in rice.. J Agric Food Chem 2006;54(6):2431‐2435.
    pubmed: 16536630
  42. Karlovsky P, Suman M, Berthiller F. Impact of food processing and detoxification treatments on mycotoxin contamination.. Mycotoxin Res 2016;32(4):179‐205.
    pmc: PMC5063913pubmed: 27554261
  43. Edwards SG. Influence of agricultural practices on fusarium infection of cereals and subsequent contamination of grain by trichothecene mycotoxins.. Toxicol Lett 2004;153(1):29‐35.
    pubmed: 15342078
  44. Baholet D, Kolackova I, Kalhotka L, Skladanka J, Haninec P. Effect of species, fertilization and harvest date on microbial composition and mycotoxin content in forage.. Agri 2019;9(5):102.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,344 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.