Diagnosis of mycotoxicoses in veterinary medicine

Abstract

The problem of mycotoxin presence in animal feed and the consequences that arise due to this, represent a great challenge for anyone encountering them. In the chain which includes studies from prevention to treatment, a very important place and a frequent source of confusion is the process of diagnosing diseases caused by mycotoxins. The aim of this paper is to present a long experience of the team of experts at the Institute of Veterinary Medicine of Serbia in Belgrade, who follows this issue in terms of clinical manifestations of mycotoxicoses in different animal species, pathomorphological and pathohistological changes that characterize them, and laboratory analysis of feed which is the source of those biological hazards and natural contaminants. Based on the findings it could be concluded that mycotoxin contamination is common. Although these levels usually do not exceed the limits laid by the legislation, considering the cumulative effects and possible chronic exposure of animals to their harmful influence, appropriate and competent approach is necessary. Namely, even when direct losses, such as animals? mortality, are not present, indirect losses, due to a drop of animal performances and production, as well as the occurrence of secondary infections, should not be neglected.Problem prisustva mikotoksina u hrani za zivotinje i posledice koje usled toga nastaju vec godinama predstavljaju izazov za resavanje za sve koji se sa njima susrecu. U tom lancu, koji obuhvata istrazivanja od preventive do kurative, veoma znacajno mesto i cest izvor nedoumica cini proces dijagnostikovanja oboljenja izazvanih mikotoksinima. Cilj rada je da se predstavi visegodisnje iskustvo tima strucnjaka Naucnog instituta za veterinarstvo Srbije iz Beograda koji ovu problematiku prati sa aspekta klinickih manifestacija mikotoksikoza kod razlicitih vrsta zivotinja, patoanatomskih i patohistoloskih promena koje ih karakterisu i laboratorijskih analiza hrane za zivotinje koja je izvor ovih bioloskih hazarda i prirodnih kontaminenata. Na osnovu svih prikupljenih nalaza moze se zakljuciti da su mikotoksini cesto prisutni. Iako njihove kolicine uglavnom ne prelaze limite dozvoljene vazecom regulativom, s obzirom na kumulativni efekat i mogucu hronicnu izlozenost zivotinja stetnom dejstvu mikotoksina i u slucaju nizih koncentracija, potrebna je odgovarajuca strucna reakcija. Naime, i onda kada se ne manifestuju direktni gubici kao posledica uginjavanja zivotinja, ne smeju se zanemariti indirektne stete usled pada proizvodnje i pojave sekundarnih oboljenja.