Immunopathological response of the Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in experimental Aflatoxicosis
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1999
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One month old Japanese quails vaccinated with Ranikhet disease vaccine (Lasota strain) on 7th day, were divided into three groups viz., A, B and C of 35 birds each for assessing the immunopathological responses in experimental aflatoxicosis. Birds of group Band C were administered aflatoxin Bl by oral intubation at the rate of 0.5 ppm twice weekly for two months and group .A were vaccinated with R2B strain vaccine at the age of 46 days. Seven birds from each group were sacrificed at fortnightly intervals for the evaluation of various organ weights, haematological, biochemical and haemagglutination inhibition titre values. Liver weights and spleen weights were significantly increased in the toxin treated birds while bursal weights were significantly depressed from that of controls. Packed cell volume, erythrocyte count and leucocyte counts were significantly increased in the toxin treated birds at the end of the experiment with a significant increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate at the 45th and 60th day of the experiment. A relative heterophilia and lymphopenia were observed in the toxin treated birds. Serum total protein, albumin and globulin levels were significantly depressed in the toxin treated birds but the albumin-globulin ratio was unaltered. A relative decrease in the haemagglutination inhibition titre values of the toxin treated birds was recorded. The gross and histopathological lesions in the liver of the toxin treated birds were suggestive of progressive hepatic degeneration, necrosis and fatty changes. There was lymphoid depletion and vascular sclerosis in the spleen while the bursae of the treated birds showed lymphoid depletion, necrosis of lymphocytes, intra and interfollicular cyst formation in increasing intensities in a time dependant manner. The pathomorphological alterations and a relative depression of HI titres in the aflatoxin treated quails indicates a moderate depression of the immune status by aflatoxin at such a low dose level.
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