BACKGROUND: While commercial poultry and captive birds are exposed to antimicrobials through direct medication, environmental pollution may result in contamination of wild birds. Fluoroquinolones are commonly used medications to treat severe avian bacterial infections; however, their adverse effects on birds remain understudied. Here, we examine toxicity of enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin during the egg incubation period using the chicken (Gallus Gallus domesticus) as a model avian species. Laboratory tests were based on eggs injected with 1, 10 and 100 μg of fluoroquinolones per 1 g of egg weight prior to the start of incubation and monitoring of chick blood biochemistry, reproductive parameters and heart rate during incubation. RESULTS: Eggs treated with fluoroquinolones displayed reduced hatchability due to embryonic mortality, particularly on day 13 of incubation. Total hatching success showed a similar pattern, with a significantly reduced hatchability in low and high exposure groups treated with both enrofloxacin and marbofloxacin. From 15 to 67% of chicks hatching in these groups exhibited joint deformities. Hatching one-day pre-term occurred with a prevalence of 31 to 70% in all groups treated with fluoroquinolones. Embryonic heart rate, measured on days 13 and 19 of incubation, increased in all enrofloxacin-treated groups and medium and high dose groups of marbofloxacin-treated eggs. Blood biochemistry of chicks sampled at hatch from medium dose groups showed hypoproteinaemia, decreased uric acid and increased triglycerides. Chicks from the enrofloxacin-treated group displayed mild hyperglycaemia and a two-fold rise in the blood urea nitrogen to uric acid ratio. Principal components analysis based on blood biochemistry clearly separated the control bird cluster from both enrofloxacin- and marbofloxacin-treated birds. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoroquinolones induce complex adverse effects on avian embryonic development, considerably reducing the performance of incubated eggs and hatching chicks. Cardiotoxicity, which quickens embryonic heart rate, meant that the total number of heart beats required for embryogenesis was achieved earlier than in the standard incubation period, resulting in pre-term hatching. Our data suggest that enrofloxacin has a higher potential for adverse effects than marbofloxacin. To conclude, care should be taken to prevent exposure of reproducing birds and their eggs to fluoroquinolones.
- MeSH
- antiinfekční látky toxicita MeSH
- enrofloxacin toxicita MeSH
- fluorochinolony toxicita MeSH
- hypoproteinemie chemicky indukované veterinární MeSH
- kur domácí * krev MeSH
- kuřecí embryo účinky léků MeSH
- nemoci drůbeže chemicky indukované MeSH
- rozmnožování účinky léků MeSH
- srdeční frekvence účinky léků MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- kuřecí embryo účinky léků MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to clarify the influence of three different sizes of platinum nanoparticles on aquatic ecosystem and assess the toxic effect in term of particle size. Tests were conducted on organisms representing all trophic levels of the aquatic ecosystem, namely producers (duckweed Lemna minor), consumers (water fleas Daphnia magna) and decomposers (bacteria Vibrio fischeri). DESIGN: Experiments were carried out methodologically in accordance with the following standards: OECD 221 guideline (Lemna sp. Growth Inhibition test), OECD 202 guideline (Inhibition of the mobility of Daphnia magna) and ISO 11348-2 (Inhibitory effect of platinum nanoparticles on the light emission of Vibrio fischeri). RESULTS: The most toxic have been the smallest sized platinum nanoparticles for all tested organisms. The highest toxicity of all tested samples (Pt1, Pt2, Pt3) was observed in bacteria (30´EC50 = 135.47; 167.94; 254.64 µg.L-1), respectively. The lowest toxicity was recorded for Daphnia (48hEC50 = 405.74; 413.24; 514.07 µg.L-1), respectively. CONCLUSION: The ecotoxicity of platinum nanoparticles varies considerably according to the test organisms and particle size.
OBJECTIVES: Chemical restraint of wild animals is practiced to accomplish intended procedures such as capture, clinical examination, collection of diagnostic samples, treatment and/or transport. Extra-label use of animal medicinal drugs is often necessary in wildlife because most approved therapeutics do not list wild species on the labelling. Here, we used cellular in vitro models, a cutting-edge tool of biomedical research, to examine cytotoxicity of anaesthetic agents in fallow deer and extrapolate these data for anaesthetic risks in wildlife. METHODS: We examined the cytotoxic effects of ketamine, xylazine, and ketamine-xylazine, i.e. the Hellabrunn mixture, on liver-, heart- and kidney-derived cell cultures prepared from a fallow deer (Dama dama) specimen. In line with preliminary studies we exposed cells to 10 µM, 50 µM, 100 µM, 1 mM, and 10 mM ketamine or xylazine. The combination of ketamine-xylazine was dosed at 0.025+0.02 mg/ml, 0.05+0.04 mg/ml, 0.75+0.06 mg/ml, 0.1+0.08 mg/ml, and 0.125+0.1 mg/ml per one well containing 10 000 cells. The quantification of cytotoxicity was based on lactate dehydrogenase activity released from damaged cells. RESULTS: Liver-derived cells show higher sensitivity to the cytotoxic effects of both ketamine and xylazine administered as single drugs when compared with cells cultured from the heart and kidney. The Hellabrunn mixture induced significantly higher cytotoxicity for kidney-derived cells ranging from 16.78% to 35.6%. Single and combined exposures to ketamine and xylazine resulted only in high-dose cytotoxicity in the heart-derived cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that immobilization drugs significantly differ in their cytotoxic effects on cells derived from various organs of the fallow deer.
- MeSH
- analgetika toxicita MeSH
- cytotoxiny toxicita MeSH
- játra cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- ketamin analogy a deriváty toxicita MeSH
- ledviny cytologie metabolismus MeSH
- srdce účinky léků MeSH
- testy toxicity metody MeSH
- vysoká zvěř * MeSH
- xylazin analogy a deriváty toxicita MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the ecotoxicity of selected antibiotics (i.e. penicillin G, vancomycin and tetracycline) using ecotoxicological tests. Tests were conducted on organisms representing all trophic levels of the aquatic ecosystem, namely producers (green freshwater algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata), consumers (water fleas Daphnia magna) and decomposers (bacteria Vibrio fischeri). The effect of antibiotics on the representative of edaphon was measured by testing the inhibition of the reproduction of springtails Folsomia candida and earthworms Eisenia fetida. DESIGN: Methodologically, the procedure was carried out in accordance with the following standards: OECD 201 (Fresh water algal growth inhibition test), OECD 202 (Inhibition of the mobility of Daphnia magna), ISO 11348-2 (Inhibitory effect of antibiotics on the light emission of Vibrio fischeri), OECD 232 (Inhibition of reproduction of Collembola Folsomia candida) and OECD 222 (Inhibition of reproduction of Eisenia fetida). RESULTS: In aquatic organisms the highest level of toxicity was shown by tetracycline to algae (72hEC50 = 1.82 mg.l-1) and daphnia (48hEC50 = 8.16 mg.l-1). The least toxic for all test organisms was penicillin G. The results of the tests performed on the representative of edaphon, Folsomia candida, showed that its reproduction was most inhibited by penicillin G (28dEC50 = 328 mg.kg-1) and least by tetracycline (28dEC50 = 2560 mg.kg-1). Similar results were observed in Eisenia fetida (56dEC50 = 348 mg.kg-1 for penicillin G and 56dEC50 = 2735 mg.kg-1 for tetracycline. CONCLUSION: The ecotoxicity of antibiotics differed significantly depending on the test organism and testing conditions.
- MeSH
- antibakteriální látky toxicita MeSH
- chemické látky znečišťující vodu toxicita MeSH
- ekosystém * MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu toxicita MeSH
- testy toxicity * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
BACKGROUND: The environmental impacts of various substances on all levels of organisms are under investigation. Among these substances, endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) present a threat, although the environmental significance of these compounds remains largely unknown. To shed some light on this field, we assessed the effects of 17β-oestradiol on the growth, reproduction and formation of free radicals in Eisenia fetida. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Although the observed effects on growth and survival were relatively weak, a strong impact on reproduction was observed (50.70% inhibition in 100 μg/kg of E2). We further demonstrated that the exposure of the earthworm Eisenia fetida to a contaminant of emerging concern, 17β-oestradiol (E2), significantly affected the molecules involved in antioxidant defence. Exposure to E2 results in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the stimulation of antioxidant systems (metallothionein and reduced oxidized glutathione ratio) but not phytochelatins at both the mRNA and translated protein levels. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-imaging revealed the subcuticular bioaccumulation of oestradiol-3,4-quinone, altering the levels of local antioxidants in a time-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study illustrates that although most invertebrates do not possess oestrogen receptors, these organisms can be affected by oestrogen hormones, likely reflecting free diffusion into the cellular microenvironment with subsequent degradation to molecules that undergo redox cycling, producing ROS, thereby increasing environmental contamination that also perilously affects keystone animals, forming lower trophic levels.
- MeSH
- antioxidancia metabolismus MeSH
- estradiol farmakologie MeSH
- látky znečišťující půdu farmakologie MeSH
- Oligochaeta účinky léků fyziologie MeSH
- oxidační stres účinky léků MeSH
- peroxidace lipidů účinky léků MeSH
- reaktivní formy kyslíku metabolismus MeSH
- regulace genové exprese účinky léků MeSH
- rozmnožování účinky léků MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
