Toxicopathological alterations of sub-acute alphamethrin toxicity in broilers

The subacute alphamethrin toxicity was studied in eighty healthy broiler chicks randomly divided into four groups of 20 chicks in each group. The chicks of group II, III and IV were orally administered alphamethrin @25, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight respectively daily for 28 days whereas group I was kept as control. No significant changes were observed in the weights of heart, liver, spleen, proventriculus, gizzard, thymus and bursa of Fabricious. The weights of kidneys, brain and lungs were changed significantly (P≤0.05). Pathomorphological changes of treated broilers of group III and IV were higher than group II. Gross pathological changes comprised congestion and haemorrhages in liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, thymus, brain and thigh muscles. Enlargement of heart, kidneys and bursa of Fabricius was also recorded during the study. Microscopically, treated birds showed varying degree of congestion and haemorrhages of liver, lungs, kidneys, heart, thymus and brain. There were degenerative and necrotic changes along with mononuclear cell infiltration in the liver. Kidneys showed severe degenerative and necrotic changes in the convoluted tubules depicting toxic nephritis. Degenerative and necrotic changes were also found in heart and brain. There was severe lymphocytolysis in the germinal centre of the spleen, bursa of Fabricius and thymus. The results revealed that alphamethrin have the potential to cause chemical injury to lungs, liver, kidneys and brain.