Ochratoxin A: its impact on poultry gut health and microbiota, an overview

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a widespread mycotoxin, that has strong thermal stability, and is difficult to remove from feed. OTA is nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic, immunotoxic, and enterotoxic to several species of animals. The gut is the first defense barrier against various types of mycotoxins present in feed that enter the body, and it is closely connected to other tissues through enterohepatic circulation. Compared with mammals, poultry is more sensitive to OTA and has a lower absorption rate. Therefore, the gut is an important target tissue for OTA in poultry. This review comprehensively discusses the role of OTA in gut health and the gut microbiota of poultry, focusing on the effect of OTA on digestive and absorptive processes, intestinal barrier integrity, intestinal histomorphology, gut immunity, and gut microbiota. According to the studies described to date, OTA can affect gut dysbiosis, including increasing gut permeability, immunity, and bacterial translocation, and can eventually lead to gut and other organ injury. Although there are many studies investigating the effects of OTA on the gut health of poultry, further studies are needed to better characterize the underlying mechanisms of action and develop preventative or therapeutic interventions for mycotoxicosis in poultry.