title: Mycotoxic nephropathy in Bulgarian pigs and chickens: complex aetiology and similarity to Balkan endemic nephropathy.
abstract: Spontaneous nephropathy in Bulgaria, which is observed frequently during meat inspection and which differs morphologically from the classical description of mycotoxic porcine/chicken nephropathy as made in Denmark, was found to have a multi-mycotoxic aetiology being mainly provoked by a combined effect of ochratoxin A, penicillic acid and fumonisin B1 in addition to a not-yet-known metabolite. Mean contamination levels of ochratoxin A were consecutively low (188.8 and 376.4 microg kg(-1)) in contrast to high contamination levels of fumonisin B1 (5564.1 and 3254.5 microg kg(-1)) and penicillic acid (838.6 and 904.9 microg kg(-1)) for 2006 and 2007, respectively. Some other mycotoxins with lower importance such as citrinin, penitrem A, etc., may also influence clinicopathological picture of this nephropathy. A heavy contamination with Gibberella fujikuroi var. moniliformis (Fusarium verticillioides) and Penicillium aurantiogriseum complex (mainly Penicillium polonicum) was observed in almost all examined feed samples coming from pig and chick farms with nephropathy problems from Bulgaria. In contrast, low contamination with Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium verrucosum and Penicillium citrinum was observed in the same feed samples and these species were isolated as very rare components of the mycobiota.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Trakia University, Students Campus, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. stoev@uni-sz.bg
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Stoev
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Dutton
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Njobeh
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Mosonik
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Steenkamp
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001449:Balkan Nephropathy / Q000209:etiology*; D002031:Bulgaria; D002645:Chickens; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005516:Food Microbiology; D037341:Fumonisins / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015651:Mycotoxicosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity; D009793:Ochratoxins / Q000633:toxicity; D010398:Penicillic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D034421:Sus scrofa; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D037341:Fumonisins; D009183:Mycotoxins; D009793:Ochratoxins; C025589:ochratoxin A; C056933:fumonisin B1; D010398:Penicillic Acid