title: Toxicity of Diplodia maydis to laboratory animals.
abstract: Ten strains of Diplodia maydis isolated from commercial corn samples and grown on whole yellow corn at 25 degrees C for 6 weeks were toxic to ducklings and rats. The degree of toxicity depended on the incubation period and temperature. Minimum incubation periods of 3 to 4 weeks and 6 weeks were necessary to cause mortality in ducklings and rats, respectively. Cultures incubated at 31 and 25 degrees C were much more toxic than those kept at 16 and 20 degrees C. Heat treatments at 80 to 90 degrees C destroyed most of the toxicity of moldy meal. Mild lesions of a similar histopathological nature were found in subclinically and lethally poisoned rats. These included toxic myocarditis, enteritis, focal renal tubular necrosis, degeneration and peripheral necrosis of the islets of Langerhans, and a generalized venous congestion.
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004372:Ducks; D000882:Haplorhini; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000254:growth & development; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D010215:Papio; D051381:Rats; D013696:Temperature; D003313:Zea mays / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D009183:Mycotoxins