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Final Product Swine Production and Herd Health Management (BASC106B)
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DE LA SALLE ARANETA UNIVERSITY: COLLEGE OFVETERINARY MEDICINE AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
Beware of Toxins:
The Toxicological Diseases Affecting Pigs
DVM2
INTRODUCTION
Pigs are one of the most valuable, popular, and in-demand livestock in the world. Pig
products are highly patronized due to their various utilitarian functions such as pork, lard, and
leather. Thus, many people venture in piggery farm operations as it yields a good amount of
income. To ensure a steady and smooth flow of income, elements that are of utmost importance
to pig farm owners/producers/farmers are good biosecurity measures, efficient management, and
proper disease diagnosis. This greatly highlights the necessity to ensure that pigs are of optimum
health condition prior to slaughter in order to ensure safety for the consumers and avoid possible
profit loss in business. Among the diseases that are highly taken note of in piggery farm operations
are the toxicological diseases.
Toxicological diseases, as implied in its name, are diseases attributable to toxic
components. In other references, toxicological diseases are simply referred to as “toxicoses”,
(singular = toxicosis). Merriam-Webster dictionary [1] defines toxicosis as a pathological condition
that is instigated by the actions of a poison or toxin. Moreover, as Ensley (2021) described in
[2]
Merck Veterinary Manual , toxicosis, poisoning, and intoxication are all synonymous to one
another and thus, all have the same meaning. Toxicosis happen due to various routes of exposure
by which a toxic or poisonous substance enters the body; these routes are inhalation, ingestion,
[3]
injection, and dermal contact. That being said, exposure to toxins may be classified as acute
or chronic toxicosis. Acute toxicosis pertains to intoxication within 24 hours whereas chronic
toxicosis pertains to prolonged exposure to toxins for three months and beyond.
Among the types of clinical problems (infectious diseases, traumatic injuries) affecting
swine, toxicosis seems to be an uncommon cause of disease and death in pigs [4]. However, they
are equally as critical and threatening as the other diseases. In pigs, the most common toxic
agents that are concomitant to toxicological diseases include, but not limited to, toxic plants and
mycotoxins. Other agents such as metals (copper, lead), pesticides (lindane, endosulfan), and
industrial chemicals (polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, dibenzofurans) have also been reported
to be responsible for other cases of toxicoses.
Below are the most prominent toxicological diseases affecting pigs, as gathered and
summarized from the different references listed on the last page.
I. TOXICOSES DUE TO MYCOTOXINS
[5]
Mycotoxins are defined by Kansas State University (n.d.) as toxic
, DE LA SALLE ARANETA UNIVERSITY: COLLEGE OF
VETERINARY MEDICINE AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
swine (particularly young pigs & sows) are exceptionally susceptible to mycotoxins,
and the resulting toxicological disease termed as ‘mycotoxicosis’. To further elaborate,
mycotoxicosis is the intoxication caused by the ingestion of feeds or grains
contaminated with mycotoxins. The degree and effects of mycotoxicosis depends on
the amount of ingested feed and the concentration of mycotoxins within the feed.
a. Aflatoxicosis
Aflatoxicosis is a mycotoxicosis
caused by microbes known as Aspergillus
flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, or
Penicillium puberulum. From these
microbes, four (4) major toxins are
produced: B1, B2, G1, and G2. Among
these, B1 is the most abundant and most
toxic, and is considered a potent Figure a. Corns that have been
predisposed to aflatoxin growth and at
hepatotoxin. These mycotoxins
are high-risk for aflatoxicosis occurrence.
commonly present in peanuts, corn,
wheat, barley, oats, and other cereal
grains. Moreover, the magnitude of
aflatoxicosis in swine vary per age. Young
nursing or weaned growing pigs are more
susceptible and more at risk for
aflatoxicosis, given that their body has not
yet been fully developed yet. Additionally,
a lactating dam that has ingested feed
contaminated with aflatoxin may pass the Figure b. Specimens of Aspergillus
toxic metabolites to her young through her parasiticus and Aspergillus flavus, the
causative agents of aflatoxicosis.
milk. Aflatoxins are immunosuppressive
so, the infected young suffer the effects of aflatoxins such as reduced feed
intake, reduced average daily gain, and reduced feed efficiency. Its
immunosuppressive actions also put pigs at risk for bacteria, viral, or
parasitic diseases, as well as formerly controlled secondary diseases.
As emphasized before, the magnitude of toxicosis depend on the
length of exposure, amount of ingested feed, and the age of pigs.
Aflatoxicosis primarily targets the liver, as manifested by the presence of
ascites, and decrease in size, along with an extended clotting time. Slow
growth is perhaps the most common symptom for aflatoxicosis in young
pigs. General symptoms for all ages of pigs include hemorrhage, hairy pigs,
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