Thirty Years (1978 - 2008) of Mycotoxins Research at Faculty of Agriculture, Almansoura University, Egypt

The articles provides information from Egypt which was hitherto not easily accesible to the outside world. Especially useful for developing countries. In 1978, the FAO had commissioned a country report on Mycotoxins. Maybe similar efforts are needed now to summarise information available in many developing countries. Dr. Ramesh V Bhat Centre for Science, Society and Culture, M 11, Kakateeyanagar, Habshiguda, Hyderabad- 500 007, India

The article deserves merit as it is a good compilation of work on mycotoxins in one country over time. Maybe a similar exercise could be carried out in other countries particularly in the Asian and African continents where mycotoxin problems have been experienced. In order to enhance the relevance of such work, FAO could initiate a programme to prepare a compendium of mycotoxin occurrence, exposure in human populations, prevention and control strategies in various countries over the last 40 years. Such a compendium could find application for mycotoxin risk analysis in different countries both for protection of human health as well as international trade. Vasanthi Siruguri M.Sc. PhD Scientist, Food safety and toxicology National Institute of Nutrition Indian Council of Medical Research Hyderabad-500007 India

The article deserves merit as it is a good compilation of work on mycotoxins in one country over time. Maybe a similar exercise could be carried out in other countries particularly in the Asian and African continents where mycotoxin problems have been experienced.In order to enhance the relevance of such work, FAO could initiate a programme to prepare a compendium of mycotoxin occurrence, exposure in human populations, prevention and control strategies in various countries over the last 40 years. Such a compendium could find application for mycotoxin risk analysis in different countries both for protection of human health as well as international trade. In this regard An experiment was conducted to investigate the immunologic property, pathogenicity and treatment of Fusarium graminearum infection. Several groups of mice were randomly selected for the following groups: (PC, T1 and T2 were groups of mice that respectively received a 1:1, 1:100 and 1:100,000 fungal dilution while T3, T4, and T5 were groups of mice that respectively received the same concentration but each were treated with Diethylamine Acetarsol (Acetylarsan). A group of mice was included as a negative control (NC). In vitro assays were used to examine the ability of F. graminearum to produce enzymes, which are thought as important virulence indicators. Results revealed the ability of the pathogen to produce collagenase and elastase. In addition, histopathological examination indicated vascular congestion and mild triaditis of the liver. Pulmonary congestion and lymphoid hyperplasia in the spleen were noted. The fungi were recovered from the liver, lungs, spleen and skin of the legs of some experimental animals. Likewise, increase in weight of the spleen doubled as early as the second week (from 49 mg to 80 mg) and progressed up to the fourth week (125 mg) where it tapered off in the untreated group. Similar increase in the weight of the spleen was observed in the treated group (40 mg to 64 mg) but not as great as that in the untreated group (105 mg). Hematological findings showed a lymphocytic count of 1.83 that increased to 3.356, monocyte count of 0.47 that increased to 0.981 and neutrophils increased from 0.399 to 1.698 in untreated groups. Lymphocyte count in the treated group was increased from 1.8 to 3.64, monocytes increased from 0.068 to 0.325 and neutrophils increased from 0.223 to 1.056. High incidence of death was observed in animals that did not receive treatment (PC, T1, and T2) while relatively lower death incidences were exhibited by groups that received diethylamine acetarsol (T3, T4 and T5).A group of mice was included as a negative control (NC). Increase in weight of the spleen doubled as early as the second week (from 49 mg to 80 mg) and progressed up to the fourth week (125 mg) where it tapered off in the untreated group. Similar increase in the weight of the spleen was observed in the treated group mg to 64 mg) but not as great as that in the untreated group (105 mg). Hematological findings showed a lymphocyte count of 1.83 that increased to 3.356, monocyte count of 0.47 that increased to 0.981 and neutrophils increased from 0.399 to 1.698 in untreated groups. Lymphocyte count in the treated group was increased from 1.8 to 3.64, monocytes increased from 0.068 to 0.325 and neutrophils increased from 0.223 to 1.056. High incidence of death was observed in animals that did not receive treatment (PC, T1, and T2) while relatively lower death incidences were exhibited by groups that received diethyl amine acetarsol (T3, T4 and T5). Precipitin test showed that F. graminearum stimulated antibody production in untreated groups detected only from the third to the sixth week post-infection. This was significantly different (P 0.01) from the higher detection levels of antibody production elicited in treated groups which persisted from the second week sustaining peaks until the sixth week of observation. These findings suggest that F. graminearum is a pathogenic fungi which can elicit immunity and can be treated with diethyIamine acetarsol. Based on this findings gathered in this study, F. graminearum is a pathological agent which has the ability to effect vital organs of the body which could cause impairment of organ functions. This pathogen posses the ability to digest elastin and collagen present in body tissue which could attribute the manifestation of disease. This study also indicated that F. graminearum caused substantial pathological damage to liver, lung, spleen. The pathogen was found to induce leukocytosis and marked increase of lymphocytes, neutrophil, macrophage. In this study it was found that when infection was induced the mortality ranges from20% in first week and decline to7.69% in the third week in positive control group and untreated group. While in treated group mortality was only 5% from first to third week. Moreover simultaneous use of antifungal (Diethylamine acetarsol, Acetylarson, Antidegnala liquior) induced development of immunity and was proven to be effective against infection.Taking the result of this study it is recommended that effort should be directed toward the prevention of F.graminearum infection in animals. Moreover further study should be conducted to confirm the involvement of this fungus in other animal and poultry diseases. Finally the application of Diethylamine Acetarsol or its depravities (anti-degnala liquior) other immunomodulator for treatment of F. graminearum infection in domestic animals should be looked into. Dr.Kedar Karki

An experiment was conducted to investigate the immunologic property, pathogenicity and treatment of Fusarium graminearum infection. Several groups of mice were randomly selected for the following groups: (PC, T1 and T2 were groups of mice that respectively received a 1:1, 1:100 and 1:100,000 fungal dilution while T3, T4, and T5 were groups of mice that respectively received the same concentration but each were treated with Diethylamine Acetarsol (Acetylarsan). A group of mice was included as a negative control (NC). In vitro assays were used to examine the ability of F. graminearum to produce enzymes, which are thought as important virulence indicators. Results revealed the ability of the pathogen to produce collagenase and elastase. In addition, histopathological examination indicated vascular congestion and mild triaditis of the liver. Pulmonary congestion and lymphoid hyperplasia in the spleen were noted. The fungi were recovered from the liver, lungs, spleen and skin of the legs of some experimental animals. Likewise, increase in weight of the spleen doubled as early as the second week (from 49 mg to 80 mg) and progressed up to the fourth week (125 mg) where it tapered off in the untreated group. Similar increase in the weight of the spleen was observed in the treated group (40 mg to 64 mg) but not as great as that in the untreated group (105 mg). Hematological findings showed a lymphocytic count of 1.83 that increased to 3.356, monocyte count of 0.47 that increased to 0.981 and neutrophils increased from 0.399 to 1.698 in untreated groups. Lymphocyte count in the treated group was increased from 1.8 to 3.64, monocytes increased from 0.068 to 0.325 and neutrophils increased from 0.223 to 1.056. High incidence of death was observed in animals that did not receive treatment (PC, T1, and T2) while relatively lower death incidences were exhibited by groups that received diethylamine acetarsol (T3, T4 and T5). 1 A Masteral thesis by the senor author submitted to the Institute of Graduate Studies, Central Luzon State University, Graduate student Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija 2 Assistant professor Microbiology and Chairman Institute of Graduate Studies faculty of veterinary.