[The diagnosis of mycotoxin hepatitis in swine]

Mycotoxin hepatitis which develops in pigs when they eat fodder contaminated by mycotoxin (sterigmatocystin) is registered at large pig breeding farms of Ukraine. Diagnostics of mycotoxin hepatitis of pigs induced by sterigmatocystin is based on clinical-epizootiological studies and mycotoxin analysis of the fodder including detection of fungi, producers of sterigmatocystin and determination of the content of mycotoxin itself. The authors have suggested a method based on extraction of mycotoxin from the fodder by means of the mixture of chloroform and 4% water solution of potassium chloride, on concentration of the chloroform residue, its separation in a thin layer of silicagel, and UV examination of chromatograms. The method sensitivity is 30 micrograms per 1 kg of the product. This method will permit diagnosis of mycotoxin hepatitis in animals and will promote timely prophylactic measures. The method is easy to be applied in veterinary laboratories.