Vet World Vol.18 January-2025 Article - 21
Research Article
Veterinary World, 18(1): 189-201
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2025.189-201
Impact of long-term cyanotoxin exposure on cattle: Biochemical, histological, and oxidative stress assessment
2. Department of Life and Nature Sciences, Sciences Faculty, University 20 Août 1955 Skikda, Algeria.
3. Department of Research Project Monitoring, Thematic Agency for Research in Health Sciences, Oran, Algeria.
4. Laboratory of Sciences and Technology of Water and Environment, Mohamed Cherif Messaadia University, Souk Ahras.
5. Central Pathology Laboratory, Mutaeb Hospital, Sakaka, Al Jouf, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
6. Key Laboratory for Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation of Hubei, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430077, China.
Background and Aim: Cyanobacterial blooms, driven by anthropogenic and climatic changes, pose significant ecological and health threats. This study investigates the long-term effects of microcystins (MCs), potent cyanotoxins, on cattle at Lake des Oiseaux, a Ramsar-listed wetland in Algeria. Aligning with the “One Health” framework, the research evaluates the biochemical, histological, and oxidative stress impacts of MCs on livestock as environmental sentinels.
Materials and Methods: A herd of 40 cattle (20 exposed and 20 non-exposed) was studied during the summer bloom period of 2019. Blood and liver samples were analyzed to assess biochemical markers (ALT, AST, ALP, GGT, etc.), histopathological changes, and oxidative stress parameters (GPx, CAT, SOD, LPO and GSH).
Results: Exposed cattle exhibited significant elevations in liver enzymes and oxidative stress markers, indicating hepatic inflammation and redox imbalance. Histological analysis revealed macrovacuolar steatosis, fibrosis, and bile duct dilatation. Antioxidant enzyme activities (GPx, CAT and SOD) were reduced, with notable depletion of GSH levels and increased lipid peroxidation. These findings reflect the cumulative cytotoxic effects of MC exposure. Non-exposed cattle showed no such changes.
Conclusion: Long-term MC exposure disrupts liver function and induces oxidative stress in cattle, implicating significant risks for both animal and human health. The bioaccumulation of cyanotoxins in livestock emphasizes the urgent need for preventive measures, including water monitoring, restricted livestock access to contaminated sites, and farmer education. These strategies are vital to mitigate risks under the “One Health” approach, ensuring sustainable livestock and public health.
Keywords: cattle health, cyanobacterial blooms, environmental pollution, lake des oiseaux, microcystin, one health, oxidative stress.
How to cite this article: Bensalem M, Amrani A, Zaidi H, Sedrati F, Laouar O, Wang Z, and Nasri H (2025) Impact of long-term cyanotoxin exposure on cattle: Biochemical, histological, and oxidative stress assessment, Veterinary World, 18(1): 189-201.
Received: 2024-09-17 Accepted: 2024-12-24 Published online: 2025-01-27
Corresponding author: E-mail:
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.189-201
Copyright: Bensalem, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/ publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.
