Pathological effects of concurrent administration of aflatoxin B1 and fowl adenovirus-4 in broiler chicks

Publication date: August 2018 Source:Microbial Pathogenesis, Volume 121 Author(s): Muhammad Noman Naseem, Muhammad Kashif Saleemi, Ahrar Khan, Aisha Khatoon, Shafia Tehseen Gul, Farzana Rizvi, Ijaz Ahmad, Ahad Fayyaz The current study was designed to investigate pathological effects of fowl adenovirus in broilers exposed to aflatoxin B1. Fowl Adenovirus-4 (FAdV-4) infection is remerging in all types of poultry birds in Pakistan. Poultry feed contamination with mycotoxin (aflatoxin) is another important global issue. A total of 125-day old broiler birds were divided into six equal groups. Group A served as control. B and C groups were administered with aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) 100 and 200 μg/kg feed. Group D was infected with FAdV-4, while groups E and F administered with both AFB1 (100 & 200 μg/kg) along with FAdV-4. These birds were monitored for clinical signs and mortality. Feed intake, body weight (BW), relative organ weights and gross & histopathological lesions were recorded. The highest mortality was observed in group F (FAdV-4 + AFB1 200 μg/kg feed) and the lowest mortality was observed in group B (AFB1 100 μg/kg feed). Body weights of all the groups were significantly (p < 0.05) lower as compared with control group. Relative weight of liver and kidneys in groups E and F were significantly higher as compared with control. Grossly, liver was swollen, anemic with round margins in groups D, E and F. Kidneys were also swollen w...
Source: Microbial Pathogenesis - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research