RELATED TO LIVER DAMAGE IN PELT CHINCHILLAS ( C hinchilla lanigera ) *

Landa M.F. , González Pereyra M.L. , Pena G. , Bagnis G. , Cavaglieri L.R. , Rosa C.A. R. & Dalcero A.M. Chronic exposure to aflatoxigenic fungi related to liver damage in pelt chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera). [Exposição crônica a fungos produtores de aflatoxinas relacionada a danos hepáticos em chinchilas (Chinchilla lanigera) de pele]. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 34(4):303-310, 2012. Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta N 36 Km 601 (5800), Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. E.mail: adalcero@exa.unrc. edu.ar Chinchilla pelt is a rare and expensive fur. Therefore, breeding these animals is a profitable activity. Confirmed acute cases of aflatoxin intoxication have been reported in Argentinean farms. The aims of this study were i) to evaluate mycobiota and AFB1-producing species in chinchilla feeds ii) to investigate their natural AFB1 contamination and iii) to analyze histopathological lesions in chinchilla livers. Feed samples (A: fur, B: mother, C: lucerne cubes) were collected from a factory and a farm. Livers of sacrificed chinchilla from the farm were macroscopically and microscopically examined. Total fungal counts of feed C exceeded 1x104 CFU/g. Aspergillus, Fusarium and Penicillium were the prevalent genera, while A. flavus, A. fumigatus, F. verticillioides and F. proliferatum were the prevalent species. Fifty % of A. flavus strains from factory samples and 69.7% from farm samples were able to produce 2.78 to 8. 64μg/g and 0.66 to 58. 8μg/g AFB1, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 was detected only in feeds from the farm, finding the highest incidence in feed C. Toxin levels varied between 1.90 and 97.34 μg/ kg AFB1. Mean levels in feed A and C exceeded 20 μg/kg. Macroscopic examination of livers revealed normal appearance, size and color. However, histopathological examination indicated 63.3% showed slight to moderate lipid degeneration with diffuse cytoplasm vacuolation, 9% intense lipid cytoplasm vacuolation and 27.3% hydropic degeneration and nuclear vacuolation in hepatocytes. A periodic monitoring of aflatoxins in feeds and their ingredients can prevent acute outbreaks and economic losses caused by chronic exposure. KEY WORD. Aflatoxins, Aspergillus spp. , Chinchilla lanigera, feed, histopathology, toxicology. *Received on february 4, 2012. Accepted for publication on August 17, 2012. 1 Microbióloga, Dr. Cienc. Biol., Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta N 36 Km 601 (5800), Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. E-mails: flor_landa85@hotmail.com; mgonzalezpereyra@exa.unrc. edu.ar; gaby_gabugap@hotmail.com; lcavaglieri@exa.unrc. edu.ar +Author for correspondence: adalcero@exa.unrc. edu.ar CONICET Scholarship. 2 Médico-veterinário. Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Ruta N 36 Km 601 (5800), Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. E-mail: gbagnis@ayv.unrc. edu.ar CONICET Scholarship. 3 Médico-Veterinário. Dr.CsVs, Dr.Cienc. Tecnol.Alim. , LD. , Departamento de Microbiologia e Imunología Veterinária. Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Veterinária, Rodovia BR 465 km 7, Seropédica RJ 23890-000, Brasil. E-mail: shalako1953@gmail.com CNPq fellowship. cação por aflatoxinas têm sido informados em fazendas Argentinas. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: i) Avaliar a micobiota e os fungos produtores