Fusarial toxins and their role in animal diseases

Fusarial toxins are toxic metabolites produced mostly by toxigenic micromycetes of genus Fusarium. Dominant mycotoxins of this group include trichothecenes, moniliformin, zearalenone, and fumonisins. Recently, special attention has been paid to these toxins because of their harmful effects on both animals and humans. On the basis of the available literature, we review here the characteristics of major fusarial mycotoxins with an emphasis on their toxic effects on animals. The most important fusarial mycotoxins, their sources, and their pathology including clinical signs, necropsy findings, as well as changes in haematological, biochemical, and immunological indices, are addressed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.