Immunotoxicology and veterinary medicine

Immunotoxicology investigates unwanted adverse effects of xenobiotics (pest icides, heavy metals from emissions, new DNA-recombinant products, immune r esponse modulators, monoclonal antibodies, drugs and others) on the immune system of man and animals. Immunotoxicology in veterinary medicine deals mo stly with the problems of dominant ecological toxicants, such as pesticides . Therefore, the veterinary immunotoxicology can be referred to as ecoimmun otoxicology. DNA-recombinant biopreparations and drugs are also important i n this respect. Interactions of various xenobiotics with live organisms pos e diverse immunological problems. The present study emphasizes that the ass essment of immunotoxicological risk arising from xenogenous substances dema nds the development of new and more exact immunotoxical testing methods. Mo reover, the thorough evaluation of the immunotoxic effect of a respective x enobiotic should be supported by a complex set of tests rather than limited number of them. The extent of functional and non-functional immunity tests should be determined on the basis of knowledge about the mechanism of the toxic effects of xenobiotics in animals. This knowledge can be supplied by biochemistry, toxicology, pharmacology and histopathology (histochemistry a nd immunohistochemistry). The up-to-date knowledge about immunosuppressive effects of pesticides and their possible interference with the genetic mate rial of live organisms indicates that it is necessary to restrict gradually the extensive use of a broad spectrum of pesticides through accentuated ap plication of scientifically justified agrotechnical procedures and the use of transgenic plants developed by molecular genetic methods. To minimize th e immunotoxic risk of pesticides to farm animals and free Living animals a system of appropriate undergraduate and graduate education should be develo ped. This is a long-term process that can obviously be realised by establis hing a joint scientific branch of toxicology and pharmacology within the ve terinary medicine. A thorough study of mechanisms of immunotoxicity and imm unopharmacology of various agents can result in the production of safer pro tective agrochemicals and more effective drugs.