Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health
Abstract
Basic field studies related to the animal population were performed in the region of Slavonski Brod, Republic of Croatia, where Balkan endemic nephropathy is an endemic disease. Pathological changes in several animal species from the locality were examined. The pig population in the area is numerous. Morphologically and physiologically pigs make an excellent animal model for studies of human diseases. Their use in studies should be encouraged, especially because there is a possibility that pigs and humans suffer from the same type of intoxication with a specific xenobiotic of natural origin. According to the mycotoxin theory about the aetiology of Balkan endemic nephropathy, pork meat might be one of the possible hazards for humans. Experiments on laboratory animals provide an excellent possibility to monitor several aspects of pathogenesis and all stages of pathomorphological changes which might then be correlated with Balkan endemic nephropathy, However; the experimental species should be critically chosen because some spontaneous, species-specific lesions of the kidneys are easily mistaken for changes induced experimentally.Obavljena su osnovna terenska ispitivanja životinjskih populacija u okolici Slavonskog Broda, u kojoj je balkanska endemska nefropatija endemska bolest, i ispitane su patološke promjene na različitim životinjskim vrstama. Populacija svinja u promatranom području vrlo je brojna, a zbog svoje morfološke i fiziološke sličnosti čovjeku svinja je odličan model za bolesti ljudi. Treba poticati studije na svinjama, osobito zbog mogućnosti da su svinje i ljudi izloženi intoksikaciji istim ksenobiotikom prirodnog podrijetla. U suglasju s mikotoksičnom teorijom o etiologiji balkanske endemske nefropatije, svinjsko meso moglo bi biti opasno za čovjeka. Pokusi na životinjama pružaju odličnu mogućnost promatranja različitih vidova patogeneze i patomorfoloških promjena u svim stadijima razvoja, koji tako mogu, biti uspoređivani s balkanskom endemskom nefropatijom. Ipak, eksperimentalne vrste moraju biti kritički izabrane, jer neke spontane lezije bubrega specifične za pojedine vrste mogu biti protumačene kao one izazvane eksperimentalno
