Abstract
The aflatoxins, metabolites produced by some strains of the fungus Aspergillus flavus, are toxic to many animal species. The present report describes the histopathologic lesions induced in ducklings by feeding or repeated oral administration of cultures of the fungus, culture extracts, and pure aflatoxins B 1, B 2, and G 1. The basic pathologic lesions associated with administration of the compounds at any stage of purity consists of hepatic parenchyma necrosis and proliferation of bile ductule cells. Variations occur only in degree and intensity, the severity of damage increasing with successive purification of the toxic compounds. When administered in 5 daily doses, 2.0 μg of aflatoxin B 1 initiated clearly defined bile duct hyperplasia. Lesions of similar severity were caused by 15.6 μg aflatoxin and G 1 and 50.0 μg aflatoxin B 2, indicating lower biological potency of the latter compounds in this subacute assay.
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