EXPERIMENTAL FUMONISIN MYCOTOXICOSIS OF S WINE

Fungal culture with a concentration of 7300 mg/kg fumonisin-B-1 was pr epared with a Fusarium moniliforme strain isolated from corn highly co ntaminated with fumonisin-B-1 mycotoxin according to the method descri bed in the international literature. Fumonisin-B-1 content was determi ned by fluorescent detection after methanol:water = 3 : 1 mixture extr action, purification on SAX column, forming a derivative with OPA reag ent in HPLC. Two piglets weighing approx. 10 and 12 kg were experiment ally fed with a feed produced with toxin-free pig rearing nutriment, a dding the fungal culture grown on corn up to a ratio obtaining a fumon isin-B-1 concentration of 330 mg/kg. Mycotoxin concentration was check ed by re-determination. The experimental animals showed faintness even on the first day, their feed was selected by them, however daily 0.5 kg of experimental feed was consumed pro pig. Thus, the daily fumonisi n-B-1 uptake was 14.5, as well as 16 mg/body-mass kg. Faintness increa sed by the 3rd to 4th day and both animals died showing severe respira tory symptoms on the 5th day (respiratory rate: 80-100/Min., dyspnoea, abdominal respiration). Approx. 0.5 1 yellowish fluid was found in th e thoracic cavity. Both the gross- (Figs 1 and 2) and histopathologica l examinations (Figs 3 and 4) revealed interlobular and alveolar oedem a. Oedema and haemorrhages were found in the heart muscles, while hydr opic degeneration and necrosis of parenchymatic cells in the liver (Fi g. 5). Small erosion was in the fundal region of stomach, hydropic deg eneration in the kidneys, haemorrhages in the adrenal cortex and vacuo lar degeneration in the adrenal medulla. Diapedesic haemorrhages, oede ma and initial malacia were found in the caudal part of the brain in o ne of the pigs (Fig. 6). Clinical symptoms, pathological and histologi cal alterations were comparable with those of fumonisin-B-1 toxicosis in swine (PPE) observed and experimentally confirmed in the USA betwee n 1989 and 1990. The alterations were also comparable with those of so -called ''fattening pulmonary oedema of swine'' described by DOMAN and PETRAS in Hungary as early as in 1952, that time frequently and nowad ays sporadically observed on small farms. The aetiology of this diseas e has not yet been clarified, however it was generally observed in aut umn and was connected to the feeding of the ''new'' corn. The feeding experiment has confirmed that the so-called ''fattening pulmonary oede ma'' of swine observed for a long time in Hungary, is fumonisin-B-1 my cotoxicosis. To prevent fattening oedema of swine, the authors have pr oposed the determination of the fumonisin-B-1 content of corn batches to be used for feeding of swine and avoid the feeding of contaminated batches.