The neurotoxic effect of deoxynivalenol in chronic intoxication of chickens

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin produced by species of the Fusarium spp. that infects cereals such as corn, wheat, oats, barley, rice etc. stored in improper conditions. DON has a cytotoxic effect, affecting animal and human health, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, and fever. Fourty ROS 308 broiler chikens were subchronic intoxicated with DON in order to observe histological changes in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. Following the histological examination, the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum of the experimental lot showed a variable spongy appearance, abnormal aspect neurons, with highly acidophilic, granular, vacuolized cytoplasm and pycnotic nuclei. Also, in neurons from the cerebral cortex, loss of shape and loss of the layers arrangement was observed. These changes explain the altered clinical status of chickens from experimental group throughout the experiment.