Fumonisin toxicosis in domestic animals: a review

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)