Preliminary communication: Examination of the harmful effect to fetuses offumonisin B-1 in pregnant sows

Three sows were fed a diet mixed with Fusarium moniliforme fungal culture f rom the 107th day of pregnancy until parturition. Fumonisin B-1 toxin was a dministered to two sows (sows 1 and 2) in a daily dose of 300 mg for an add itional 7 days subsequent to parturition, i.e., for a total of 14-16 days. The third sow (No. 3) was given the toxin in the same daily dose only until parturition, i.e., for 7 days in total. There were no symptoms observed in any of the sows. Two piglets were taken from each of the three sows and sa crificed immediately after parturition, i.e., prior to the first suckling. After 24 h, two additional piglets were taken for slaughter from each of th e litters, which by then had access to colostrum. Finally, on the 7th day p ostparturition another two piglets per litter were sacrificed and material obtained from them was processed for examination. It was established that f umonisin B-1 present in the Fusarium moniliforme culture resulted in damage to the fetuses in utero. Of the changes indicating toxic effect, intraalve olar, subpleural, and interstitial pulmonary edema of various degrees of se verity could be detected in the piglets sacrificed immediately following pa rturition and before the first suckling. Pathological changes were observed in the histopathological sections of the liver, and increases in the activ ities of plasma aspartic acid transaminase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferas e (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AKLP), higher than physiological levels w ere detected. The serum-free sphinganine/sphingosine ratio, considered a bi oindicator of fumonisin B1 toxicosis, varied in accordance with the degree of severity of the changes which occurred. The values obtained were found t o be between 0.29 and 0.36 in the cases of severe pulmonary edema, and betw een 0.20 and 0.24 for the cases of mild pulmonary edema. In the piglets of the sows fed the toxin for an additional 7 days subsequent to parturition a nd which were born with severe pulmonary edema, mild pulmonary edema could be detected after colostrum suckling, 24 h, and 7 days after parturition. T he SA/SO value of the serum in these two piglets was 0.19 and 0.20, while a t the same time AST, GGT, and ALKP values higher than physiological levels were measured. In the milk samples taken from sows 1 and 2 and examined aft er 24 h and after 7 days FB1 was detected in quantities of 18.0-27.5 ppb. T here were no changes observed on the seventh day in the piglets of the thir d sow, the diet of which contained no toxin after parturition. However, as the piglets of the third sow demonstrated only mild effects of pulmonary ed ema it is not possible to establish with certainty a postpartum cause-effec t relationship between fumonisin in colostrum and pulmonary edema. Teratoge nesis Carcinog. Mutagen. 20:293-299, 2000. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.