Morphological, molecular investigation of fungi isolated from layers poultry and their environment with their mycotoxins profile in Wasit province

A total of 150 samples were collected from seven layers poultry farms IN Wasit Province of Iraq. Fifty (50) from layers poultry and hundred (100) from farm premises including poultry feed, surfaces associated with feed container and water drinkers indicating isolation of 60 (40%) mold and yeast based on morphological characteristics and diagnosed to species by using sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region. Aspergillus versicolor recorded higher isolation rate 20/60 (33.3%), followed by Candida albicans 16/60 (26.6%), Aspergillus wlwitschiae 12/60 (20%), Diutina catenulata 10/60 (16.6%), and the lowest percentage was observed for Lichtheimia ramose 2/60 (3.3%). The analyses of Mycotoxins in poultry feed conducted by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), revealed aflatoxins B1 (AFB1) in all feed samples (70) with total range (6.945 ppb), and for each: soybean (8.060 ppb), corn (3.287 ppb) and wheat (3.287 ppb). While 60 (85%) out of 70 sample were contaminated with ochratoxin in feed samples with total range (2.658 ppb), for soybean, corn and wheat as (1.122 ppb), (2.596 ppb) and (1.068 ppb) respectively (permissible ratios <20 ppb). Also about 14 (57%) out of 70 samples were contaminated with T2 toxin with total feed range (33.629%) as (113.321 ppb) for corn, (99.817 ppb) for soybean and (64.486 ppb) for wheat samples (permissible ratios <100). This study indicates the importance of continuous mycological evaluation of poultry feed production, hen’s fungal infections and Mycotoxins contamination may directly threaten the industry and harm the consumers at the same time.