Comparison of chronic mercury toxicity and ACTH-induced stress in broilers

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976 · Poult. Sci.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5414287

Thaxton, P; Gilbert, J; Young, P S; Brake, J

The syndrome of mercury toxicity in chickens is characterized by a series of apparently non-related physio-pathological changes. Several of these changes suggest classic physiological stress. The purpose of the present research was to determine if mercury toxicity can be equated with physiological stress. Mercury toxicity was induced by adding mercuric chloride to the drinking water of broiler chicks at the level of 300 p.p.m. from hatching until the end of the experiments. The controls, i.e. birds that did not receive mercury, as well as the mercury-treated birds were given injections of ACTH (2 I.U./100 gm. of body weight in each of four I.M. injections) or a gelatin vehicle. At 72 hours after the last of the injections the birds were weighed, bled, and killed by cervical dislocation. Several parameters that are involved in the total stress response were determined. Both mercury and ACTH resulted in poor growth, increased relative adrenal weights, depleted adrenal cholesterol, and reduced relative bursa weights and histological changes which are associated with premature lymphoid involution. These data suggest that the mercury toxicity syndrome caused changes that paralleled those caused by exogenous ACTH.

• Research Organization: North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh
• OSTI ID: 5414287
• Journal Information: Poult. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Poult. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 55:4; ISSN POSCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACTH
ADRENAL GLANDS
ANIMAL GROWTH
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
BIRDS
BODY
CHICKENS
CHOLESTEROL
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELEMENTS
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
FOWL
GLANDS
GROWTH
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MERCURY
METALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PITUITARY HORMONES
STEROIDS
STEROLS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES