Impact of deoxynivalenol on the intestinal microflora of pigs

Int J Mol Sci. 2009 Jan;10(1):1-17. doi: 10.3390/ijms10010001. Epub 2008 Dec 27.

Abstract

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin produced by some Fusarium species, is a frequent contaminant of cereal. In the present study, 24 weanling piglets received either control feed or feed naturally contaminated with DON (2.8 mg/kg) for four weeks. Consumption of contaminated feed significantly reduced the animal weight gain during the first week of the experiment, but had a moderate effect on cultivable bacteria in the pig intestine. By contrast, changes in the intestinal microflora were observed by Capillary Electrophoresis Single-Stranded Conformation Polymorphism (CE-SSCP) in DON-exposed animals, suggesting an impact of this toxin on the dynamics of intestinal bacteria communities.

Keywords: CE-SSCP; Deoxynivalenol; Mycotoxin; anaerobic sulfite-reducing bacteria; faeces; growth performance; intestinal microflora; pigs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed / microbiology
  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Intestines / microbiology
  • Microbiota / drug effects*
  • Microbiota / genetics
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Swine / microbiology*
  • Trichothecenes / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Trichothecenes
  • deoxynivalenol