VPT 421: Veterinary Toxicology (2+0)

MYCOTOXIN

• The word mycotoxin is derived from myco, meaning mold and toxin, a poison of biological origin.
• A great number of mold metabolites have been identified as mycotoxins.
• Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of fungi (i.e., metabolites not essential to the normal growth and reproduction of the fungus) that are toxic to other life forms.
• Mycotoxicosis is the term used to describe poisoning of a biological system by a mycotoxin.
• Mycotoxicosis can occur in acute, subacute and subclinical forms with predisposition to nutritional and/or infectious disorders.
• Many factors contribute to the occurrence of mycotoxicoses in livestock.
• Conditions predisposing to mycotoxin production include
• Moisture
• Temperature
• Aeration
• Substrate availability
• Host stress
• Mycotoxins may be grouped based on their major toxic effects as
• mycotoxins that affect the liver – aflatoxins, sterigmatocystin, rubratoxin, sporodesmin, penicillinic acid
• mycotoxins that affect the kidneys – ochratoxins, citrinin
• mycotoxins that cause neurological effects – fumonisins, salframin, citreoviridin and patulin
• mycotoxins causing reproductive damage – zearalenone, zearalenol, and T-2 Toxin
• mycotoxins producing circulatory disturbances – ergot alkaloids