Mycotoxic diseases produced in mice by species of the aspergillus ochraceus group

Abstract

Twenty-three isolates (identified below by Northern Regional Research Laboratory culture numbers) comprising eight species of the Aspergillus ochraceus group were examined for toxicity in Swiss albino mice fed for 3 wk on diets containing rice cultures of the isolates mixed at 50% concentrations with a commercial purified diet. The histopathological changes produced and a capacity to produce ochratoxin A, penicillic acid or both mycotoxins were the criteria used to assign the isolates to one of five groups. Group I ( A. auricomus NRRL nos 387 and 388, A. petrakii 404, 416 and 4369, A. elegans 4850 and A. alliaceus 1237) included some strains that produced penicillic acid but none produced ochratoxin A and none caused a significant incidence of lesions or deaths. Group II isolates ( A. sclerotiorum 415, 1598 and 4901) did not produce ochratoxin A, but two produced penicillic acid and all caused a 100% death rate, principally with lesions of multifocal hepatic necrosis and fatty change. In group III ( A. alliaceus 315 and 4181), each isolate produced ochratoxin A and all the treated mice died. Renal lesions were consistent with those described for ochratoxicosis A. Group IV isolates ( A. sclerotiorum 5166 and 5170) produced both ochratoxin A and penicillic acid and killed over half of the treated mice. The main hepatic and renal lesions in these mice were necrotizing cholangitis, multifocal hepatic necrosis and degeneration and necrosis of the renal convoluted tubules. The group V isolates ( A. melleus 386 and 5103, A. ostianus 420 and 3524 and A. ochraceus 398, 399, 400, 402 and 410, as well as an isolate of Penicillium viridicatum, Purdue University Strain 66-68-2) did not produce ochratoxin A, but four produced penicillic acid and all caused hepatic and renal lesions identical to those observed with group IV isolates. The hepatic and renal changes observed in the mouse following treatment with either the group IV or group V isolates were similar to those described previously for an isolate of A. ochraceus and for several Indiana isolates of P. viridicatum.