Immunotoxicology and Veterinary Medicine (Review Article)

Abstract

Immunotoxicology investigates unwanted adverse effects of xenobiotics (pesticides, heavy metals from emissions, new DNA-recombinant products, immune response modulators, monoclonal antibodies, drugs and others) on the immune system of man and animals. Immunotoxicology in veterinary medicine deals mostly with the problems of dominant ecological toxicants, such as pesticides. Therefore, the veterinary immunotoxicology can be referred to as ecoimmunotoxicology. DNA-recombinant biopreparations and drugs are also important in this respect. Interactions of various xenobiotics with live organisms pose diverse immunological problems. The present study emphasizes that the assessment of immunotoxicological risk arising from xenogenous substances demands the development of new and more exact immunotoxical testing methods. Moreover, the thorough evaluation of the immunotoxic effect of a respective xenobiotic should be supported by a complex set of tests rather than limited number of them. The extent of functional and non-functional immunity tests should be determined on the basis of knowledge about the mechanism of the toxic effects of xenobiotics in animals. This knowledge can be supplied by biochemistry, toxicology, pharmacology and histopathology (histochemistry and immunohistochemistry). The up-to-date knowledge about immunosuppressive effects of pesticides and their possible interference with the genetic material of live organisms indicates that it is necessary to restrict gradually the extensive use of a broad spectrum of pesticides through accentuated application of scientifically justified agrotechnical procedures and the use of transgenic plants developed by molecular genetic methods. To minimize the immunotoxic risk of pesticides to farm animals and free-living animals a system of appropriate undergraduate and graduate education should be developed. This is a long-term process that can obviously be realised by establishing a joint scientific branch of toxicology and pharmacology within the veterinary medicine. A thorough study of mechanisms of immunotoxicity and immunopharmacology of various agents can result in the production of safer protective agrochemicals and more effective drugs.