Acute aflatoxicosis in swine: clinical pathology, histopathology, and electron microscopy

Feeder pigs weighing 12 to 15 kg each were given a single oral dose of aflatoxin, 1.2 mg/kg of body weight. Liver-specific serum enzyme activities were compared with gross, microscopic, and ultrastructural hepatic changes in individual pigs euthanatized at 24, 48, and 72 hours after they were given aflatoxin. The greater the morphologic change in liver of the treated pigs, the greater the increase in liver-specific serum enzyme activities. Isocitric dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase, sorbitol dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase activities increased in 6 of 8 treated pigs by 24 hours. Increase in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase activity was not significant. Microscopic and ultrastructural changes in centrilobular hepatocytes included glycogen deletion, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling, membrane disruption, and nuclear fragmentation at 24 hours. The centrilobular areas had marked extravasation of erythrocytes at 24 hours without basal lamina changes. At 72 hours, the centrilobular hepatocytes had increased lipid vacuoles and acceptable amounts of glycogen. Marked infiltrations of monocytes, plasma cells, and lymphocytes were also present at this time.