Fumonisin toxicosis in domestic animals: a review.
Abstract: Fumonisins are the most recently discovered group of mycotoxins with important implications in animal health. Equine leucoencephalomalacia and porcine pulmonary edema are diseases observed for many years, but their etiology was unknown. These 2 syndromes were recently reproduced experimentally after administration of purified fumonisin B1 (FB1). The main target organs for the toxic actions of FB1 are the brain in horses and the lungs in the case of swine. However, severe liver damage in both species and pancreatic lesions in swine are also observed, especially when Fusarium moniliforme culture material (FCM) or naturally contaminated corn are used as the source of the fumonisins. Experimentally induced fumonisin toxicosis has been studied in poultry and cattle using FCM or naturally contaminated corn or corn screenings as the mycotoxin source. Results have shown a much lower sensitivity of these species to the toxic action of fumonisins when compared to horses and pigs. However, adverse effects on performance parameters of broiler chickens and turkey poults and on selected immune parameters of chickens and cattle were reported. In order to confirm these observations, toxicological studies using purified fumonisins are required. Studies to determine the interaction of fumonisin with other Fusarium toxins and other mycotoxins are also needed. No studies on the toxicokinetics of fumonisins have been reported. The toxicodynamics (mechanism of action) of fumonisins appears to be a blockage in the synthesis of sphingolipids and thus constitute a unique toxicological action among the known mycotoxins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Date: 1994-12-01 PubMed ID: 7900277
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- Journal Article
- Review
Summary
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The research article is a review of a condition called ‘fumonisin toxicosis’ in domestic animals. It focuses on how fumonisins, a type of mycotoxin, impact animal health, causing certain diseases and lesions in horses, pigs, chickens, and cattle.
Introduction to Fumonisins
- Fumonisins are a recently highlighted group of mycotoxins with significant implications for animal health.
- The most prominent among them is fumonisin B1 (FB1), recognized for its toxic effects on various domestic animals including horses, pigs, poultry, and cattle.
- Historically, fumonisins were unnoticed, and the illnesses they caused had ambiguous etiology.
Fumonisin Effects on Different Animal Species
- For horses, severe brain damage (Equine leucoencephalomalacia) induced by FB1 was observed, while in pigs it was primarily pulmonary edema (excess fluid in the lungs).
- Other detrimental effects such as severe liver damage have been observed in both horses and pigs. Pigs additionally exhibited pancreatic lesions.
- The harmful manifestations become more noticeable when the animals are exposed to Fusarium Moniliforme culture material (FCM) or naturally contaminated corn, a common source of fumonisins.
- Although fumonisin toxicosis has been studied in poultry and cattle as well, these species seem to exhibit a lower sensitivity to fumonisins when compared to horses and pigs.
Impact on Animal Performance
- Despite the lower sensitivity, fumonisins considerably affect the performance parameters of broiler chickens and turkey poults.
- Besides, certain immune parameters of chickens and cattle were reported to be adversely affected.
Further Needed Studies on Fumonisins
- The study advocates for more in-depth toxicological studies using purified fumonisins, to substantiate these observations.
- A broader understanding of fumonisins is required, including their interaction with other Fusarium toxins and other mycotoxins.
- Surprisingly, there are no studies on toxicokinetics of fumonisins, an area which needs immediate exploration.
Mechanism of Fumonisins Action
- As far as the known mechanism goes, fumonisins block the synthesis of a class of lipids called sphingolipids, which is unique among the known mycotoxins.
Cite This Article
APA
Diaz GJ, Boermans HJ.
(1994).
Fumonisin toxicosis in domestic animals: a review.
Vet Hum Toxicol, 36(6), 548-555.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Santafe de Bogota DC.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Domestic
- Carcinogens, Environmental / poisoning
- Cattle
- Encephalomalacia / chemically induced
- Encephalomalacia / veterinary
- Fumonisins
- Horse Diseases / chemically induced
- Horses
- Mycotoxins / poisoning
- Poisoning / veterinary
- Poultry
- Poultry Diseases / chemically induced
- Pulmonary Edema / chemically induced
- Pulmonary Edema / etiology
- Pulmonary Edema / veterinary
- Structure-Activity Relationship
- Swine
- Swine Diseases / chemically induced
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Tardieu D, Matard-Mann M, Collén PN, Guerre P. Strong Alterations in the Sphingolipid Profile of Chickens Fed a Dose of Fumonisins Considered Safe.. Toxins (Basel) 2021 Oct 30;13(11).
- Laurain J, Tardieu D, Matard-Mann M, Rodriguez MA, Guerre P. Fumonisin B1 Accumulates in Chicken Tissues over Time and This Accumulation Was Reduced by Feeding Algo-Clay.. Toxins (Basel) 2021 Oct 2;13(10).
- Szabó A, Nagy S, Ali O, Gerencsér Z, Mézes M, Balogh KM, Bartók T, Horváth L, Mouhanna A, Kovács M. A 65-Day Fumonisin B Exposure at High Dietary Levels Has Negligible Effects on the Testicular and Spermatological Parameters of Adult Rabbit Bucks.. Toxins (Basel) 2021 Mar 25;13(4).
- Reddy P, Elkins A, Hemsworth J, Guthridge K, Vassiliadis S, Read E, Spangenberg G, Rochfort S. Identification and Distribution of Novel Metabolites of Lolitrem B in Mice by High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry.. Molecules 2020 Jan 16;25(2).
- McGorum BC, Symonds HW, Knottenbelt C, Cave TA, MacDonald SJ, Stratton J, Leon I, Turner JA, Pirie RS. Alterations in amino acid status in cats with feline dysautonomia.. PLoS One 2017;12(3):e0174346.
- Maresca M. From the gut to the brain: journey and pathophysiological effects of the food-associated trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol.. Toxins (Basel) 2013 Apr 23;5(4):784-820.
- Perilla N, Diaz G. Incidence and levels of fumonisin contamination in Colombian corn and corn products.. Mycotoxin Res 1998 Jun;14(2):74-82.
- Caloni F, Stammati AL, Raimondi F, De Angelis I. In vitro study with Caco-2 cells on fumonisin B1: aminopentol intestinal passage and role of P-glycoprotein.. Vet Res Commun 2005 Aug;29 Suppl 2:285-7.
- Acuña A, Lozano MC, García MC, Diaz GJ. Prevalence of Fusarium species of the Liseola section on selected Colombian animal feedstuffs and their ability to produce fumonisins.. Mycopathologia 2005 Aug;160(1):63-6.
- Myburg RB, Dutton MF, Chuturgoon AA. Cytotoxicity of fumonisin B1, diethylnitrosamine, and catechol on the SNO esophageal cancer cell line.. Environ Health Perspect 2002 Aug;110(8):813-5.
- Warfield CY, Gilchrist DG. Influence of kernel age on fumonisin B1 production in maize by Fusarium moniliforme.. Appl Environ Microbiol 1999 Jul;65(7):2853-6.
- Leslie JF, Marasas WF, Shephard GS, Sydenham EW, Stockenström S, Thiel PG. Duckling toxicity and the production of fumonisin and moniliformin by isolates in the A and E mating populations of Gibberella fujikuroi (Fusarium moniliforme).. Appl Environ Microbiol 1996 Apr;62(4):1182-7.
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