الفهرس 
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Abstract
Seventy-one day old moulard duckling were distributed into seven groups ten per group for 45 days to study the effect of AFs on ducks and the ameliorative role of zinc oxide nanoparticles and activated charcoal against AFs for 25 days, as well as the role of AFs recovery period against aflatoxicosis for 20 days. The experiment design showed that G1 fed on basal diet as a control group, G2 fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated diet, G3 fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated diet + ZnONPs, G4 fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated diet + activated charcoal, G5 fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated diet + ZnONPs + activated charcoal, G6 fed on basal diet + ZnONPS and G7 fed on basal diet + activated charcoal for 25 days followed with 20 days as a recovery period of AFs.
After 25 and 45 days of the experiment, five ducks per group were slaughtered for samples collection. (Blood samples on EDTA tube for hematological analysis. Serum samples for liver and kidney function tests. Liver, kidney, spleen, gall bladder, gizzard and proventriculus were collected, examined and weighted. Liver samples were collected for comet assay. Liver and bursa of fabricius were collected and preserved in 10% formalin for histopathological examination. Finally, liver and muscle samples were collected and preserved at -20 for AFs residue using UPLC.
The main results can be summarized as following:
1. Ducks which fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated diet showed an increase in feed intake, decrease in growth rate, ruffled feather and brownish diarrhea at the first 25 days of the experiment and starts to disappear gradually at the recovery period. There were no mortalities during the study.
2. The body weight showed a significant decrease in ducks which fed on AFs contaminated diets in comparison with the control group, as well as results revealed the effective role of zinc oxide nanoparticles and activated charcoal in the improvement of ducks’ performance and body weight.
3. Ducks of G2, G3, G4 and G5 during 22 to 25 days of the experiment showed a significant increase in their feed intake in comparison with the control group. After the end of recovery period ducks in all group consumed nearly equal amount of feed.
4. Ducks fed on AFs contaminated diet showed decrease in body their weight gain at 25th day compared with ducks which fed on AFs contaminated diet with ZnONPs, activated charcoal or combination between ZnONPs and activated charcoal. During AFs recovery period, body weight gain showed non-significant variation between all groups of experiment.
5. The feed conversion ratio of ducks showed an increase in ducks which consumed AFs contaminated feed during the first 25 days of experiment in compared with the control group. Recovery period of AFs showed a gradual improvement in FCR level in different groups of the experiment.
6. Absolute organs weight results showed a significant decrease in liver, kidney and gizzard of ducks fed on AFs contaminated diet compared to the control group. After the recovery period, the results showed non-significant variation in absolute weight of liver, kidneys, spleen, and proventriculus in different ducks’ groups.
7. Post mortem findings in ducks which fed on 50 ppb total AFs contaminated feed for 25 days showed hemorrhages in liver, kidney, and thigh muscle in comparison with the control group. After recovery period for 20 days, liver hemorrhages and pale
colored liver were observed in ducks of G2, G3 and G5 compared with G1. Bruises in chest muscles were investigated in ducks of G2, G4 and G5 compared with G1.
8. Hematological parameters results showed a disturbances in Hb, RBCs, WBCs, Platelets and HCT in ducks which fed on AFs contaminated diet, while ducks in G3, G4 and G5 showed an improve in their hematological parameters. After AFs recovery period, all groups showed non-significant variations in the hematological parameters.
9. Liver functions test results showed that AST of ducks which fed on AFs contaminated feed (G2) showed a significant increase in comparison with G1, G3, G4, G5 and G6. ALT showed also a significant increase in G2 in comparison with G1, G3, G4 and G6. Albumin level showed a significant decrease in G3 and G5 in comparison with the control group. The recovery period showed an improve in liver enzymes, level of albumin and total protein in different groups of experiment.
10. Kidney functions test results revealed urea level disturbances and showed a significant decrease in all groups of the experiment in comparison with the control group. After AFs-recovery period, serum urea level showed also a significant decrease in G3 in comparison with the control negative (G1) and positive (G2).
11. Comet assay of liver showed the percent of DNA damage, tail length, DNA in tail and tail moment. where, ducks which fed on AFs-contaminated diet showed an increase in DNA damage % compared to the control group, while ducks in G3, G4 and G5 showed an improve in DNA damage % compared to G2. After AFs recovery results showed non-significant variation in percent of
DNA damage, tail length, DNA in tail and tail moment between all groups of the experiment.
12. Aflatoxin B1 residues in ducks’ muscles and liver of different groups of the experiment were 0.19, 0.08, 0.02 and 0.05 ppb in ducks’ muscles of G2, G3, G4 and G5 of the experiment, respectively and 0.32, 0.06, 0.43 and 0.87 ppb in liver of G2, G3, G4 and G5 of the experiment, respectively after 25 days of AFs exposure. While AFM1 residues results were 0.21, 0.054 and 0.051 ppb in ducks’ muscles of G2, G3 and G4 of the experiment, respectively and 0.01 and 0.007 ppb in ducks’ liver of G2 and G3 of the experiment, respectively. After AFs recovery, AFB1 residues were 0.17, 0.18 and 0.06 ppb in ducks’ muscles of G2, G4 and G5, respectively and 0.13, 0.08, 0.15 and 0.09 ppb in liver of G2, G3, G4 and G5, respectively. While AFM1 residues were 0.079 ppb in liver of G5. Finally, AFB1 residues were non-detected in liver and muscles of G1, G6 and G7 as well as muscles of G3.
13. Histopathological examination of liver and bursa of fabricious were examined for all ducks in different groups, where ducks which fed on AFs contaminated feed revealed diffuse vacuolar degeneration of hepatocytes in almost all lobules associated with multifocal hemorrhagic necrotic areas. Portal fibrosis and focal areas of mononuclear cell infiltration within hepatic parenchyma throughout the lobules were also observed. Bursa of fabricious showed necrosis of surface epithelium, marked depletion of cortical and medullary lymphocytes accompanied by lymphocytic necrosis and apoptosis. In addition, atrophy of some follicles and epithelial cysts filled with heterophils as well as subepithelial and interfollicular edema infiltrated with heterophils and hemorrhages were obvious changes.
14. Zinc oxide nanoparticles, activated charcoal and the recovery period ameliorated the pathological lesions of aflatoxins in hepatic and bursal tissues of ducks.