Assessment of the clinical and hematological status in acute radiation damage of Leningrad calico chickens
Authors: Yugatova N. Yu. , Vasiliev R. O. , Khlestkin V. K. , Drachev I. S. , Nazarova M. D. , Brevnova S. A. 
Published: October 2023

The problem of radiation damage to the human body, animals, birds and its individual systems and organs against the background of the use of ionizing radiation sources has acquired relevance throughout the world over the past decades. In the event of an emergency, acute radiation damage in poultry will be massive and increase the risks of developing infectious and noninfectious diseases, due to a decrease in the level of specific resistance, low effectiveness of therapeutic and preventive measures and, as a result, will lead to a decrease in the quality of the resulting product. In view of this, studies aimed at studying the features of the course of radiation pathology in chickens are very relevant and will be taken into account when developing and applying radioprotective formulations.The study of the features of the course of acute radiation damage caused by uniform single irradiation at doses of 7 Gy; 9 Gy; 11 Gy and 13 Gy, at a power of 0.99 Gy/min, was carried out on Leningrad calico chickens. Resistance to ionizing radiation was assessed by generally accepted clinical and hematological methods. Pronounced changes in clinical manifestations and shifts in morphological parameters of peripheral blood were noted under the influence of gamma radiation. Thus, irradiation of chickens with doses of 11 Gy and 13 Gy caused the development of acute radiation damage of an extremely severe degree, which led to severe depression, refusal of feed, shortening the duration or absence of a latent period, against the background of severe leuko- and erythropenia. Irradiation with a dose of 9 Gy caused severe acute radiation damage characterized by adynamia, reduced feed intake, diarrhea with an admixture of blood. Leukopenia was noted in the blood, which by day 12 values were lower than before irradiation by 41.9% and erythropenia. During acute radiation damage in chickens, when irradiated at a dose of 7 Gy, the development of the initial, latent, peak and recovery period in the surviving individuals was clearly traced. The clinical manifestation was characterized by a complex of dyspeptic and neuromotor disorders, moderate leukopenia was noted in the blood. In all experimental chickens, a violation of egg production was noted, up to complete cessation against the background of irradiation at doses of 11 Gy and 13 Gy. It is concluded that uniform single irradiation of chickens in doses from 7 Gy to 13 Gy leads to acute radiation damage and negatively affects the productive qualities of poultry. In order to conduct the experiment on the principle of pairs of analogues, 5 groups of animals were formed, 10 chickens in each. Determination of the content of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets in the blood was determined by counting in the Goryaev chamber. External total single exposure to gamma radiation at doses of 7 Gy, 9 Gy, 11 Gy and 13 Gy led to the development of acute radiation exposure of medium, severe and extremely severe degrees, respectively.