title: Gross intestinal adaptations in relation to broiler performance during chronic aflatoxin exposure.
abstract: The present trial was conducted to study some morphological, digestive, and electrophysiological variables of the small intestine during chronic exposure of broilers to aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)). Ross 308 male chicks (7 d old) were randomly allotted to control (no AFB(1)), low AFB(1) (0.07 mg of AFB(1)/kg), or high AFB(1) (0.75 mg of AFB(1)/kg) diet. The high AFB(1) diet resulted in reduced (P ≤ 0.002) bird performance during the first 4 wk of exposure, whereas the low AFB(1) diet temporarily reduced (P = 0.034) the bird performance during wk 3 of exposure. During wk 4 of exposure, a linear (P ≤ 0.013) decrease in the unit weight of both the duodenum and jejunum was observed with increasing levels of AFB(1). This reduction in unit weight appeared to progress from the proximal (duodenum) to the distal (jejunum) small intestine with increase in the length of exposure and was not accompanied by modulation of electrophysiological variables in jejunal epithelium. Response from amiloride, a specific blocker of epithelial sodium channel, was also similar among jejunal epithelia of birds under different treatments. Interestingly, a compensatory linear (P ≤ 0.002) increase in the length of the duodenum and jejunum under high AFB(1) diets was noted to occur during wk 4 of exposure. Thus, retention of DM and nitrogen was not negatively affected by the AFB(1) diets. These data indicate that the intestine in broilers may adapt to an ongoing dietary challenge to AFB(1).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition, Department for Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Yunus
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghareeb
authors.forename: A A M
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abd-El-Fattah
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Twaruzek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Böhm
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D016604:Aflatoxin B1 / Q000633:toxicity*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005506:Food Contamination; D007422:Intestines / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D016604:Aflatoxin B1