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Toxins
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Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies
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Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Mycotoxins".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 7703

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Vasileios Papatsiros

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Clinic of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
Interests: porcine medicine; porcine herd health management; porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV); porcine-circovirus-associated diseases (PCVAD); porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC); reproductive diseases in sows and boars; welfare and production; heat stress; alternatives to antibiotics; vaccines; feed additives; mycotoxins; zoonoses
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Food and animal feed contamination with various mycotoxins remains a high-risk agroeconomic problem, resulting in significant economic losses due to decreased growth performance and health disorders in farm animals as well as increased veterinary care costs. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi (e.g., genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium), which have toxic properties and are commonly found in cereal grains. Some major mycotoxins include aflatoxins, ochratoxins, trichothecenes, zearalenone, fumonisins, and ergot alkaloids. The co-occurrence of mycotoxins under field conditions is common. Especially in Europe, mycotoxins’ occurrence patterns are expected to alter due to the increase in average environmental temperatures. For this reason, the risk of mycotoxins is increasing year by year because of climate change to warmer and drought-like environmental conditions. Traditionally, mycotoxin detection relies on laboratory examination, which is time-consuming and laborious. Thus, it is necessary to develop a more precise and quick detection methodology, such as using biomarkers for the detection of mycotoxins. The chosen biomarker should be specific for each mycotoxin and target species, reflect the real exposure load, and be easily detectable with sensitive analytical methods validated for the matrix used. Mycotoxin contamination can occur at any stage of the feed supply chain, including crop cultivation, harvesting, storage, and the distribution of crops as well as compound feeds. Preventative measures should be taken to minimize mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxin-detoxifying agents as feed additives are widely used for the control of mycotoxins in farm animals under field conditions. Depending on the mode of action, mycotoxin-detoxifying agents can be categorized into biotransforming agents and adsorbing agents according to a scientific report submitted to the ESFA; however, there is a continuous need for the development of novel detection and decontamination strategies for effective mycotoxin risk management. We look forward to receiving your contributions to this Special Issue in the form of original research, case studies, or review papers, shedding light on perspectives on mycotoxicosis in farm animals and its implications for health disorders, as well as on prevention strategies under field conditions.

Dr. Vasileios Papatsiros
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • mycotoxins
  • biomarkers
  • health disorders
  • prevention
  • detoxifying agents
  • farm animals
  • climate

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2195 KiB  
Article
Increased Dissemination of Aflatoxin- and Zearalenone-Producing Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. during Wet Season via Houseflies on Dairy Farms in Aguascalientes, Mexico
by Erika Janet Rangel-Muñoz, Arturo Gerardo Valdivia-Flores, Carlos Cruz-Vázquez, María Carolina de-Luna-López, Emmanuel Hernández-Valdivia, Irene Vitela-Mendoza, Leticia Medina-Esparza and Teódulo Quezada-Tristán
Toxins 2024, 16(7), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16070302 - 1 Jul 2024
Viewed by 992
Abstract
Crops contamination with aflatoxins (AFs) and zearalenone (ZEA) threaten human and animal health; these mycotoxins are produced by several species of Aspergillus and Fusarium. The objective was to evaluate under field conditions the influence of the wet season on the dissemination of [...] Read more.
Crops contamination with aflatoxins (AFs) and zearalenone (ZEA) threaten human and animal health; these mycotoxins are produced by several species of Aspergillus and Fusarium. The objective was to evaluate under field conditions the influence of the wet season on the dissemination of AF- and ZEA-producing fungi via houseflies collected from dairy farms. Ten dairy farms distributed in the semi-arid Central Mexican Plateau were selected. Flies were collected in wet and dry seasons at seven points on each farm using entomological traps. Fungi were isolated from fly carcasses via direct seeding with serial dilutions and wet chamber methods. The production of AFs and ZEA from pure isolates was quantified using indirect competitive ELISA. A total of 693 Aspergillus spp. and 1274 Fusarium spp. isolates were obtained, of which 58.6% produced AFs and 50.0% produced ZEA (491 ± 122; 2521 ± 1295 µg/kg). Houseflies and both fungal genera were invariably present, but compared to the dry season, there was a higher abundance of flies as well as AF- and ZEA-producing fungi in the wet season (p < 0.001; 45.3/231 flies/trap; 8.6/29.6% contaminated flies). These results suggest that rainy-weather conditions on dairy farms increase the spread of AF- and ZEA-producing Aspergillus spp. and Fusarium spp. through houseflies and the incorporation of their mycotoxins into the food chain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies)
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16 pages, 10078 KiB  
Article
Modulation of Broiler Intestinal Changes Induced by Clostridium perfringens and Deoxynivalenol through Probiotic, Paraprobiotic, and Postbiotic Supplementation
by Marielen de Souza, Ana Angelita Sampaio Baptista, Maísa Fabiana Menck-Costa, Larissa Justino, Eduardo Micotti da Glória, Gabriel Danilo Shimizu, Camila Rodrigues Ferraz, Waldiceu A. Verri, Filip Van Immerseel and Ana Paula Frederico Rodrigues Loureiro Bracarense
Toxins 2024, 16(1), 46; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16010046 - 14 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1959
Abstract
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a DON and Clostridium perfringens (CP) challenge on the intestinal morphology, morphometry, oxidative stress, and immune response of broilers. Additionally, we evaluated the potential of a [...] Read more.
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a predisposing factor for necrotic enteritis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a DON and Clostridium perfringens (CP) challenge on the intestinal morphology, morphometry, oxidative stress, and immune response of broilers. Additionally, we evaluated the potential of a Lactobacillus spp. mixture as an approach to mitigate the damage induced by the challenge. One-day-old broiler chickens (n = 252) were divided into seven treatment groups: Control, DON, CP, CP + DON, VL (DON + CP + viable Lactobacillus spp. mixture), HIL (DON + CP + heat-inactivated Lactobacillus spp. mixture), and LCS (DON + CP + Lactobacillus spp. mixture culture supernatant). Macroscopic evaluation of the intestines revealed that the CP + DON group exhibited the highest lesion score, while the VL and HIL groups showed the lowest scores. Microscopically, all Lactobacillus spp. treatments mitigated the morphological changes induced by the challenge. DON increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the jejunum, and CP increased ROS levels in the jejunum and ileum. Notably, the Lactobacillus spp. treatments did not improve the antioxidant defense against CP-induced oxidative stress. In summary, a Lactobacillus spp. mixture, whether used as a probiotic, paraprobiotic, or postbiotic, exerted a partially protective effect in mitigating most of the intestinal damage induced by DON and CP challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies)
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17 pages, 1087 KiB  
Article
Turmeric Powder Counteracts Oxidative Stress and Reduces AFB1 Content in the Liver of Broilers Exposed to the EU Maximum Levels of the Mycotoxin
by Neenu Amminikutty, Veronica Spalenza, Watanya Jarriyawattanachaikul, Paola Badino, Maria Teresa Capucchio, Elena Colombino, Achille Schiavone, Donato Greco, Vito D’Ascanio, Giuseppina Avantaggiato, Sihem Dabbou, Carlo Nebbia and Flavia Girolami
Toxins 2023, 15(12), 687; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15120687 - 7 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2111
Abstract
The most frequent adverse effects of AFB1 in chicken are low performance, the depression of the immune system, and a reduced quality of both eggs and meat, leading to economic losses. Since oxidative stress plays a major role in AFB1 toxicity, natural products [...] Read more.
The most frequent adverse effects of AFB1 in chicken are low performance, the depression of the immune system, and a reduced quality of both eggs and meat, leading to economic losses. Since oxidative stress plays a major role in AFB1 toxicity, natural products are increasingly being used as an alternative to mineral binders to tackle AFB1 toxicosis in farm animals. In this study, an in vivo trial was performed by exposing broilers for 10 days to AFB1 at dietary concentrations approaching the maximum limits set by the EU (0.02 mg/kg feed) in the presence or absence of turmeric powder (TP) (included in the feed at 400 mg/kg). The aims were to evaluate (i) the effects of AFB1 on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant parameters, histology, and the expression of drug transporters and biotransformation enzymes in the liver; (ii) the hepatic accumulation of AFB1 and its main metabolites (assessed using an in-house-validated HPLC-FLD method); (iii) the possible modulation of the above parameters elicited by TP. Broilers exposed to AFB1 alone displayed a significant increase in lipid peroxidation in the liver, which was completely reverted by the concomitant administration of TP. Although no changes in glutathione levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were detected in any treatment group, AFB1 significantly upregulated and downregulated the mRNA expression of CYP2A6 and Nrf2, respectively. TP counteracted such negative effects and increased the hepatic gene expression of selected antioxidant enzymes (i.e., CAT and SOD2) and drug transporters (i.e., ABCG2), which were further enhanced in combination with AFB1. Moreover, both AFB1 and TP increased the mRNA levels of ABCC2 and ABCG2 in the duodenum. The latter changes might be implicated in the decrease in hepatic AFB1 to undetectable levels (<LOD) in the TP supplemented group. Overall, our findings further support the use of TP as an effective feeding strategy to prevent AFB1-related adverse effects in broilers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies)
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15 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Effects of a Multi-Component Mycotoxin-Detoxifying Agent on Oxidative Stress, Health and Performance of Sows
by Vasileios G. Papatsiros, Christos Eliopoulos, Nikolaos Voulgarakis, Dimitrios Arapoglou, Insaf Riahi, Meritxell Sadurní and Georgios I. Papakonstantinou
Toxins 2023, 15(9), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15090580 - 19 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2094
Abstract
This in vivo study aimed to investigate the effects of a multi-component mycotoxin-detoxifying agent, containing clays (bentonite, sepiolite), phytogenic feed additives (curcumin, silymarin) and postbiotics (yeast cell wall, hydrolyzed yeast) on the antioxidant capacity, health and reproductive performance of pregnant and lactating sows [...] Read more.
This in vivo study aimed to investigate the effects of a multi-component mycotoxin-detoxifying agent, containing clays (bentonite, sepiolite), phytogenic feed additives (curcumin, silymarin) and postbiotics (yeast cell wall, hydrolyzed yeast) on the antioxidant capacity, health and reproductive performance of pregnant and lactating sows challenged by mycotoxins. Eighty (80) primiparous sows (mean age 366 ± 3 days) per each of the two trial farms were divided into two groups in each farm: a) T1 (control group): 40 sows received the contaminated feed and b) T2 group (experimental group): 40 sows received the contaminated feed plus the mycotoxin-detoxifying agent, one month before farrowing until the end of the lactation period. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyls (CARBS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were evaluated as biomarkers of oxidative stress. Clinical and reproductive parameters were recorded. Our results indicate that the administration of a multi-component mycotoxin-detoxifying agent’s administration in sow feed has beneficial effects on oxidative stress biomarkers and can improve sows’ health and performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mycotoxins in Farm Animals: Health Disorders and Preventive Strategies)
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