title: Oral lead bullet fragment exposure in northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).
abstract: Lead (Pb) is a worldwide environmental contaminant known to adversely affect multiple organ systems in both mammalian and avian species. In birds, a common route of exposure is via oral ingestion of lead particles. Data are currently lacking for the retention and clearance of Pb bullet fragments in gastrointestinal (GI) tract of birds while linking toxicity with blood Pb levels. In the present study, northern bobwhite quail fed a seed-based diet were orally gavaged with Pb bullet fragments (zero, one or five fragments/bird) and evaluated for rate of fragment clearance, and changes in peripheral blood, renal, immune, and gastrointestinal parameters. Based on radiographs, the majority of the birds cleared or absorbed the fragments by seven days, with the exception of one five-fragment bird which took between 7 and 14 days. Blood Pb levels were higher in males than females, which may be related to egg production in females. In males but not females, feed consumption, body weight gain, packed cell volume (PCV), plasma protein concentration, and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD) activity were all adversely affected by five Pb fragments. Birds of both sexes that received a single Pb fragment displayed depressed δ-ALAD, suggesting altered hematologic function, while all birds dosed with five bullet fragments exhibited greater morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Radiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, USA.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holladay
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Holladay
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tannenbaum
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Selcer
authors.forename: Blair
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meldrum
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jarrett
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gogal
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000633:toxicity*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood; D011784:Quail / Q000378:metabolism*; D013278:Stomach, Avian / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D007854:Lead; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase