Clinico-haematological changes in T-2 toxicosis in Wistar rats Rahman Shafiqur4,*, Sharma A.K.4, Singh N. D.4, Telang A.G.1,4, Azmi Shagufta2,4, Prawez Shahid3,4 4Division of Pathology, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122, Bareilly, U.P. 1Toxicology Lab, CADRAD, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar-243122, Bareilly, U.P. 2Division of Veterinary Pathology, Faculty of veterinary science and Animal Husbandry (SKUAST-J), R. S. Pura, Jammu-180211 (J&K) 3Division of Veterinary Pharmacology & Toxicology Faculty of veterinary science and Animal Husbandry (SKUAST-J), R. S. Pura, Jammu-180211 (J&K) *Corresponding author: email: srahmanskuastj@gmail.com
Abstract The present experiment was designed to elucidate clinical and haematological changes induced by feeding of graded doses of T-2 toxin in Wistar rats. A total of 192 male Wistar rats, 4 weeks of age were used for the study and were divided into four groups of 48 rats each receiving different levels of T-2 toxin in feed i.e. groups I- 0.5 ppm, II- 0.75 ppm and III- 1.0 ppm and group IV (control) toxin free diet. The duration of the experiment was 12 weeks and 8 animals each were sacrificed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks intervals. The clinical signs were variable degree of dullness, weakness, lethargy, retardation in growth, rough hair coat, disinclination to move and reduced feed intake starting from 6th week onwards of toxin feeding. However, animals of lower dose groups (Gr. II- 0.75 ppm and Gr. I- 0.5 ppm T-2 toxin) started clinical signs from 7th and 8th week; onward, respectively. Highest dose T-2 fed animals showed gangrenous dermatitis of tail at 8th week and facial and podal dermatitis after 10th week of T-2 toxin feeding. Body weight gains recorded at weekly intervals, were slower in T-2 toxicated rats as compared to controls. Significant decrease in haemoglobin, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte counts, total leucocyte counts and thrombocyte counts values in T-2 treated rats, causing microcytic hypochromic anaemia, leucocytopaenia due to lymphocytopaenia along with significant thrombocytopenia in a dose and duration dependent manner. Top Keywords Clinical signs, Haematological changes, Rat, T-2 toxin. Top |