Preliminary communication: Examination of the harmful effect to fetuses of fumonisin B1 in pregnant sows

Three sows were fed a diet mixed with Fusarium moniliforme fungal culture from the 107th day of pregnancy until parturition. Fumonisin B 1 toxin was administered to two sows (sows 1 and 2) in a daily dose of 300 mg for an additional 7 days subsequent to parturition, i.e., for a total of 14-16 days. The third sow (No. 3) was given the toxin in the same daily dose only until parturition, i.e., for 7 days in total. There were no symptoms observed in any of the sows. Two piglets were taken from each of the three sows and sacrificed immediately after parturition, i.e., prior to the first suckling. After 24 h, two additional piglets were taken for slaughter from each of the litters, which by then had access to colostrum. Finally, on the 7th day postparturition another two piglets per litter were sacrificed and material obtained from them was processed for examination. It was established that fumonisin B 1 present in the Fusarium moniliforme culture resulted in damage to the fetuses in utero. Of the changes indicating toxic effect, intraalveolar, subpleural, and interstitial pulmonary edema of various degrees of severity could be detected in the piglets sacrificed immediately following parturition and before the first suckling. Pathological changes were observed in the histopathological sections of the liver, and increases in the activities of plasma aspartic acid transaminase (AST), gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AKLP), higher than physiological levels were detected. The serum-free sphinganine/sphingosine ratio, considered a bioindicator of fumonisin B 1 toxicosis, varied in accordance with the degree of severity of the changes which occurred. The values obtained were found to be between 0.29 and 0.36 in the cases of severe pulmonary edema, and between 0.20 and 0.24 for the cases of mild pulmonary edema. In the piglets of the sows fed the toxin for an additional 7 days subsequent to parturition and which were born with severe pulmonary edema, mild pulmonary edema could be detected after colostrum suckling, 24 h, and 7 days after parturition. The SA/SO value of the serum in these two piglets was 0.19 and 0.20, while at the same time AST, GGT, and ALKP values higher than physiological levels were measured. In the milk samples taken from sows 1 and 2 and examined after 24 h and after 7 days FB 1 was detected in quantities of 18.0-27.5 ppb. There were no changes observed on the seventh day in the piglets of the third sow, the diet of which contained no toxin after parturition. However, as the piglets of the third sow demonstrated only mild effects of pulmonary edema it is not possible to establish with certainty a postpartum cause-effect relationship between fumonisin in colostrum and pulmonary edema.