This dataset describes histopathological changes in liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle and intestine of captive American kestrels exposed to the second-generation anticoagulant rodenticide brodifacoum (BROD). The goal of the study was to determine the toxic range of brodifacoum by feeding birds a diet containing 0.3, 1.0, or 3.0 ug BROD/g wet weight. Birds were necropsied and examined grossly for hemorrhages or anemia, and liver, kidney, heart, pectoral muscle, and intestine was collected for histopathological evaluation. Tissues were scanned at least 100x magnification and all lesions, including hemorrhage, inflammation, and degenerative changes, were described and assigned a morphologic diagnosis with severity, chronicity, and distribution as appropriate.

This dataset describes histopathological changes in liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle and intestine of captive American kestrels sequentially exposed to first and second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (FGAR and SGAR). The goal of the study was to determine the toxicity of sequential exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) by evaluating FGAR-FGAR exposure (7 day chlorophacinone exposure, 7 day recovery, than re-exposure) and SGAR-FGAR exposure (7 day brodifacoum, 7 day recovery, than 7 day exposure to chlorophacinone). Birds were necropsied and examined grossly for hemorrhages or anemia, and liver, kidney, heart, skeletal muscle, and intestine was collected for histopathological evaluation. Tissues were scanned at at least 100x magnification and all lesions, including hemorrhage, inflammation, and degenerative changes, were described and assigned a morphologic diagnosis with severity, chronicity, and distribution as appropriate.

This dataset documents histopathological changes in liver, kidney, skeletal muscle and intestine of captive American kestrels (Falco sparverius) exposed to brodifacoum formulations with differing elimination half-lives in target rodents. The toxicity of two brodifacoum formulations with stereoisomers having markedly different elimination half-lives in rats (Formulation A containing the 2 least persistent stereoisomers, Formulation B containing the most persistent stereoisomer) were tested in a 7-day dietary feeding trial. Based on previous kestrel studies using commercially available brodifacoum, Formulations A and B were each provided at 3 dietary concentrations (0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 µg/g diet, 4 kestrels/dose level) predicted to cause a range of toxicity. Birds were necropsied and examined grossly for hemorrhages or anemia, and liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, and intestine was collected for histopathological evaluation. Tissues stained by hematoxylin and eosin were scanned at at least 100x magnification and all hemorrhage, defined as erythrocyte extravasation, was scored on a severity scale of 0-4 (absent, minimal, mild, moderate, or severe). Other microscopic abnormalities noted within the case set were scored as absent or present. Microscopic examination revealed mild to moderate hemorrhage in 11/111 of tissues examined, including samples from the control group; hemorrhage was not related to dietary concentration of either brodifacoum formulation. Other observations in the case set included portal infiltrates in the liver (27/27), suspect polyomavirus inclusions in the kidney (14/28), renal interstitial lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates (6/28), other cellular infiltrates (17/111), myocyte degeneration or regeneration (3/28), myocellular protozoal cysts (2/28), hepatocellular glycogenosis (1/27), and minimal hepatocellular necrosis (1/27). These findings are not considered likely to be clinically significant or related to brodifacoum exposure.

This work is part of a study of the immunological effects of exposure to alternative flame retardants in avian species. For the pathology portion of the study, hatchling American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were exposed to the flame retardant isopropyl triphenyl phosphate (ITP) and then challenged with a synthetic analogue of viral double-stranded RNA, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C). Control birds were challenged with vehicle only or vehicle and poly I:C. At euthanasia, spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius were collected and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological assessment. Slides were processed and stained with hematoxalin and eosin as per standard procedure (Luna 1968). Quantitative and qualitative B and T cell parameters were assessed by light microscopy. Specifically, variables assessed included the following: spleen: proportion of white to red pulp; thickness of peri-arteriolar lymphoid sheaths; number and diameter of lymphoid follicles; thymus: total area; area of medulla; density of cortical lymphocytes; number of tingible body macrophages; heterophil infiltration; bursa: follicular and medullary area; cellular density; apoptosis; heterophil infiltration; presence of follicular cysts. Evaluation of the architecture and cellular population of immune organs will shed light on potential functional immunological effects of exposure that may lead to increased susceptibility to infectious disease. (Luna LG. 1968. Manual of histologic staining methods of the armed forces institute of pathology, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.)

This work is part of a study of the immunological effects of exposure to alternative flame retardants in avian species. For the pathology portion of the study, spleens and bursas from American kestrels (Falco sparverius) exposed by egg injection to varying doses of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and the flame retardant TBBPA-BDBPE were examined microscopically for architectural and cellular abnormalities. At euthanasia, spleen and bursa of Fabricius were collected and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological assessment. Slides were processed and stained with hematoxalin and eosin as per standard procedure (Luna 1968). Quantitative and qualitative B and T cell parameters were assessed by light microscopy. Specifically, variables assessed included the following: spleen: total area; number, thickness and area of peri-arteriolar lymphoid sheaths; number and diameter of lymphoid follicles; bursa: follicular and medullary area; cellular density; apoptosis; heterophil infiltration; presence of follicular cysts. Evaluation of the architecture and cellular population of immune organs will shed light on potential functional immunological effects of exposure that may lead to increased susceptibility to infectious disease or affect normal growth and development of the chick. (Luna LG. 1968. Manual of histologic staining methods of the armed forces institute of pathology, 3rd edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.)

Range finding trial in which kestrels were fed diets containing varying quantities of brodifacoum and signs of intoxication were monitored.

Citrated plasma samples were sent to the University of Miami Avian and Wildlife Laboratory for clinical determination of total protein, plasma electrophoresis (pre-albumin, albumin, alpha 1 globulins, alpha 2 globulins, beta globulins, gamma globulins) and aspartate aminotransferase and creatine phosphokinase activities.

- Observations of test subjects, - Body weight - Estimates of test diet consumption - Hematocrit - Clotting time parameters (prothrombin time, Russell’s viper venom time, fibrinogen concentration) - Residues of brodifacoum and chlorophacinone in tissue

Trial in which coagulopathy and the time course of recovery of clotting function was determined in kestrels fed a diet containing brodifacoum.

Trial in which coagulopathy and the time course of recovery of clotting function was determined in kestrels fed a diet containing brodifacoum.