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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.
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Publication Date: 2022-07-06 PubMed ID: 35792718PubMed Central: PMC9308415DOI: 10.1111/jvim.16486Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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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.

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