Acute aflatoxicosis in swines in Northeastern Brazil / Aflatoxicose aguda em suínos no Nordeste do Brasil

ABSTRACT

Background: Aflatoxins are hepatotoxic mycotoxins derived from the secondary metabolism of toxigenic fungi belonging to the genus Aspergillus, especially A. flavus and A. parasiticus. Aflatoxin B1 is the most important metabolite, because of its deleterious effect mainly to the liver, especially for its carcinogenic, mutagenic and haemorrhagic properties, and usually is detected in higher concentrations in contaminated substrates. This paper reports the epidemiological, clinical, pathological and toxicological aspects of an outbreak of acute aflatoxicosis in pigs raised in Northeastern Brazil. Case The cases occurred in a complete cycle farm, in the city of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil, in pigs ingesting low quality (moldy) corn being produced and processed on the farm. Sixty (73.1%) out of 82 two to five-months old pigs were clinicaly affected and 54 (65.8%) died. All animals showed fever, weight loss, tachycardia, tachypnea, lethargy, muscle tremors, muscle weakness and diarrhea. The clinical course ranged from five to 48 hours. Adult pigs were not affected. At necropsies, generalized jaundice, ascites, hydropericardium, petechial hemorrhages in the mesentery, subcutaneous edema and mesocolon were observed. The liver was yellow-orange with reddish diffuse multifocal areas, enlarged and extremely friable. Histologically there was swelling of hepatocytes [...]