New insights into the combined hazard of Aflatoxin B1 and Eimeria ovinoidalis in uterine function through perturbing the gut-blood-reproductive axis in sheep

Sheep coccidiosis is an infectious parasitosis that primarily causes diarrhea and growth retardation in young animals, which greatly restricts the development of the sheep breeding industry. Cereals and animal feeds are frequently contaminated with mycotoxin worldwide, and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most common form of mycotoxin, which endangers gastrointestinal health after ingestion and affects the function of parenteral organs, thus seriously threatening the health of livestock. However, it has not been reported how the reproductive system of sheep is damaged by the combination of coccidia and AFB1. Therefore, this study used sheep as a large animal model to investigate the mechanisms underlying the reproductive toxicity induced by the individual or combined effects of AFB1 and Eimeria ovinoidalis (E. ovinoidalis) in the gut-blood-reproductive axis.