Effects of aflatoxin on the immune system of the chick.
A decreased antibody response to injected sheep red blood cells and weight losses to the extent of 25-38% were observed in the bursa Fabricii and thymus in chicks fed an aflatoxin diet (10% w/w) for 3 weeks. The immune organs did not show any significant histopathological changes. The antibody titre decreased from day 6 of treatment onward until the 15th day, when the antibody titre had disappeared completely in the test chicks. The body weight gain was also less in test chicks (9.7-37.3%) given test feed or test feed along with Salmonella pullorum in water (10(8) cfu ml 1) in comparison to chicks given toxin-free diet and water after 3 weeks of feeding trials. The disappearing component in the test chicks' liver homogenate was found to be antigenic by immunoelectrophoretic studies.
Department of Microbiology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
J S
JS
Virdi
R P
RP
Tiwari
M
M
Saxena
V
V
Khanna
G
G
Singh
S S
SS
Saini
D V
DV
Vadehra
D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation / Q000187:drug effects; D000941:Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002060:Bursa of Fabricius / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006388:Hemagglutinins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D000348:Aflatoxins; D000941:Antigens; D006388:Hemagglutinins