Haematological and tissue abnormalities in chicks caused by acute and subclinical folate deficiency

Abstract

1. Haematological, histological and ultrastructural findings in young chicks fed on a purified diet severely deficient in folate are reported.2. Growth of the birds was greatly depressed and they had a macrocytic anaemia. Other haematological changes included abnormal nuclear formations in erythrocytes, numerous mitoses and hypersegmented granulocytes.3. Megaloblasts were observed in bone marrow and their fine structure is described for the first time in an avian species.4. Morphological changes occurred also in the liver. The parenchyma had damaged sinusoidal endothelium, inflammatory cells and no glycogen. Mitochondria were damaged and many were associated with unusual crystalline structures.5. Chickens fed on a semi-purified diet of low folate content showed no growth depression or clinical signs of deficiency but had abnormal haematological values and morphological changes that resembled those seen in birds fed on the purified diet.6. These abnormalities responded to dietary supplements of pteroylmonoglutamic acid in a dose-related manner and may be useful in diagnosing subclinical folate deficiency.