Effects of Fumonisin B1 on Pathological and Immunological Parameters in Pigs Consuming Diets With or Without the Addition of Activated Charcoal

Fumonisins are mycotoxins found primarily in corn and corn products and are produced by Fusarium verticillioides, F. proliferatum and several other Fusarium species. The toxicity of fumonisin B1 (FB) from culture material with and without activated carbon was evaluated using weaned piglets. Fifty-six weanling pigs were assigned to one of four treatments diets based on weight. The treatment diets were: 1) corn-soybean basal diet with < 2 ppm FB (control), 2) control + activated carbon at 1% of the diet (AC), 3) control + culture material supplying 30 ppm FB (FB), and 4) control + activated carbon at 1% of the diet + culture material supplying 30 ppm FB (AC + FB). A total of 4 replicates of 3 pigs/pen for treatments 3, and 4, and 4 piglets/pen for treatments 1, and 2 were utilized. Feed and water was offered ad libitum for the duration of the experiment (42 days). Compared to pigs fed the control diets (control or AC), pigs receiving FB contaminated diets (FB or AC + FB) had a significantly lower feed efficiency (gain/feed), significantly higher serum concentrations of g-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), cholesterol, free sphinganine, sphingosine-1-phosphate and sphinganine 1-phosphate. Although animals consuming FB diets showed no signs of respiratory distress all pigs consuming either the FB or the AC + FB diets had marked pulmonary edema. Significant lesions were observed in the lungs, heart and liver of pigs fed the FB or AC + FB diets and treatment associated changes were also seen in pancreas, intestines, spleen and lymph nodes. No lesions were observed in brain. In liver, lung, heart, pancreas, spleen, intestines and lymph nodes, the histopathological effects were more severe in the AC + FB group suggesting that the AC treatment worsened the toxic effects of FB. Additionally, immunological parameters of macrophage function (CD14) were significantly affected by the consumption of the FB diets. The consumption of FB diets containing 30 ppm FB1, from cultured material, significantly affected performance, biochemical parameters, and organ pathology in post-weaned piglets. The addition of activated carbon added at 1% of the diet was not effective in protecting, against the detrimental effects of fumonisin consumption