Pathology of chlorpyriphos and T-2 toxin on broiler chicken

Forty-eight, newly hatched, unsexed broiler chicks were fed diets containing 45 ppm chlorpyriphos, an organophosphorus compound and 0.5 ppm T-2, a mycotoxin, singly and in combination for 28 days from day of hatch to study of pathological effects. Gross, pale, enlarged liver, distended gall bladder and streaks of haemorrhages in the thigh muscles were observed in the chlorpyriphos group, while the chlorpyriphos+T-2 group showed pale and enlarged liver. Histopathological changes observed in the toxin-fed birds during 14th and 28th days of the trial were as follows: liver revealed periportal fibrosis, mononuclear cell infiltration, necrosis of hepatocytes and bile duct hyperplasia in all the toxin-fed birds. Kidney showed tubular epithelial degeneration and necrosis in chlorpyriphos and chlorpyriphos+T-2-fed birds. Hearts of all toxin treated birds showed vacuolar degeneration of myocytes. The chlorpyriphos+T-2-fed birds showed necrosis of oral mucosa with infiltration of heterophils predominantly, along with mononuclear cells. Crop mucosa showed epithelial hyperplasia and keratinisation in all treatment groups. Proventriculus showed hyperplasia of epithelial cells, glandular necrosis and infiltration of mononuclear cells in chlorpyriphos and chlorpyriphos+T-2 groups. The T-2 group showed epithelial necrosis, crypt elongation, diphtheritic membrane formation and mononuclear cell infiltration in lamina propria. Gizzard showed glandular interstitial fibrosis, infiltration of heterophils and mononuclear