Fusarium verticillioides

Abstract

DISTRIBUTION: A fungus that is one of the most prevalent moulds on harvested maize throughout the world. Maize is produced mainly in the North-West, the north-western, northern and eastern Free State, the Mpumalanga Highveld and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION: General: A cosmopolitan fungus and one of the most common moulds on harvested maize worldwide. A cause of cob rot (kopvrot).TOXIC PRINCIPLE: • Fumonisin B1. • Several other toxic metabolites were isolated, but not of significance for LEM. • Fumonisin B1 is structurally similar to sphingosine, which is the backbone of sphingolipids. • Fumonisin inhibits sphingolipid synthesis.SYNDROMES: Leukoencephalomalacia (LEM).SYSTEMS AFFECTED: Central nervous and respiratory systems.CLINICAL SIGNS: • Leukoencephalomalacia (LEM) is a mycotoxicosis of horses following ingestion of maize contaminated by Fusarium verticillioides. • The disease is characterized by focal liquefactive necrosis of the cerebral white matter. • Horses exhibit a variety of nervous signs depending on where the lesions are in the cerebrum. • The intoxication is invariably fatal. • Lung oedema is seen in pigs.NECROPSY: Subcortical focal areas of liquefactive necrosis and haemorrhage.