Abstract

This study included 24 BALB/c albino mice, which were used to investigate the aggravating toxic effect of aflatoxins and their association with increased severity of hydatid cysts in mice, as well as to record the modifying and reducing effects of the use of the adsorbent Mycofix 0.3+. The mice were divided into three groups (8 mice per group) as follows: 1. Group One: Positive control, in which 0.2 ml of medium containing protoscoleses was injected intraperitoneally at a dose of 2,000 units of protoscoleses. 2. Group Two: Eight mice were fed the same diet as the control animals, supplemented daily with 1 ppm aflatoxins. 3. Group three: Eight mice were fed the same diet as Group Two, with the addition of the adsorbent Mycofix +0.3. At the end of the experiment, after 40 days, the results revealed that compared with the control treatment, both aflatoxins and the injection of parasites significantly increased the number of hydatid cysts with diameters of 0.3, 1.6, and 1.5 mm. Additionally, in the third group treated with aflatoxin and Mycofix, only 6 cysts (0.2 mm) were observed, whereas in the second group, 25 cysts (0.2 mm in diameter) were observed, and in the control group, 23 cysts (0.2 mm in diameter) were found. The distribution of hydatid cysts in various organs was significantly lower in the groups fed Aflatoxin and the control group than in the group that received Aflatoxin and Mycofix in the diet. We conclude that compared with control conditions, feed contamination with aflatoxins plays an important role in the spread and severity of hydatid cysts, both in terms of number and distribution. This was significantly reduced in the Mycofix- and aflatoxin-treated groups.