Nutritionist > Poultry
Trichothecenes (T-2 toxin, diaceptoxyscripenol (DAS), deoxynivalenol (DON), HT-2 toxin, etc)
Trichothecenes are typical field mycotoxins and are produced on crops entering the feed via contaminated ingredients. Trichothecenes are proven tissue irritants with the major observation associated with their ingestion being oral lesions, dermatitis and intestinal irritation.
The major physiological response to trichothecenes mycotoxins is loss of appetite, thus earning them the name, feed refusal toxin.
Of the different trichothecenes, poultry are most sensitive to T-2 toxin and DAS. Trichothecenes are strong immune suppressive mycotoxins affecting cellular immune response by direct effects on bone marrow, spleen, lymphoid tissues, thymus and intestinal mucosa, where actively dividing cells are damaged.
Clinical signs of trichothecenes toxicity include:
- Oral lesions: circumscribed proliferate yellow caseous plaques occurring at the margin of the beak, mucosa of the hard palate and the angle between the mouth and the tongue.
- Reduced feed intake
- Reduced weight gain and egg production
- Poor shell quality
- Reduced female fertility and hatchability of fertile eggs
- Immune suppression, reduced vaccination response
- Tibia dyschondroplasia
- Gizzard erosion
- Necrosis of proventricular mucosa
- Regression of ovaries
- Increased liver weight
